Official immigration figures to top 700,000 TODAY

Long-awaited statistics are expected to show another huge spike in net migration in 2022, likely to more than 700,000, after the year to June saw a record 504,000.

The level - well on the way to a million - is set to spark a furious political row over the Tory manifesto pledge that 'numbers will come down' from the 226,000 in 2019.

The government sought to head off a backlash earlier this week by announcing that most foreign students will be barred from bringing dependants with them - hardly a dent in the numbers however.

The Office for National Statistics figures will cover the 12 months ending December 2022. They estimate the net migration level - the balance between inflows and outflows - for those who intend to stay in the country for at least a year.

Analysis by the Centre for Policy Studies suggests the number will have been between 700,000 and 997,000 in that period.

Separate Home Office data is expected to show that the high inflows have continued, with nearly a million migrants granted permission to come to Britain for work or study in the year to March.

The ONS estimated net migration at 504,000 in the year to June, up from 173,000 in the year to June 2021.