The Prime Minister points out some home truths about immigration

When the Prime Minister makes the case for immigration, as he did yesterday in a speech to the CBI, he does it with eloquence and passion. The problem is that he does not do it often enough.

When the Prime Minister makes the case for immigration, as he did yesterday in a speech to the CBI, he does it with eloquence and passion. The problem is that he does not do it often enough. One of this Labour Government's greatest failings has been its willingness to pander to right-wing newspapers and their xenophobic agenda. It has consistently failed to counter the distortions churned out by the anti-immigrant press and truth has been the casualty. Scare stories have dictated government policy on immigration and asylum and, entirely predictably, the worst elements of political life - such as the BNP - prosper. We must hope that Tony Blair's speech yesterday marks a new era in the way this Government deals with immigration.

The facts are always a good place to start. As the Prime Minister pointed out yesterday, 11,000 overseas teachers are working in English schools and a quarter of our health workers were born abroad. Our public services need migrant labour. Immigrants do not come "to take our jobs" but to fill the gaps in our public services - they change our bedpans and teach our children.

Then there is the notion that Britain is in danger of being "swamped" by immigrants. Yet only 8 per cent of our workforce is foreign-born. In America the proportion is 15 per cent. We also have lower levels of foreign-born nationals as a proportion of our population than either France or Germany. Rather than being inundated, Britain is lagging behind the rest of the world. The Prime Minister was also right to point out that many thousands of native-born Britons decide to work abroad, buy property overseas, or emigrate each year. The fact that they tend to enjoy the rather grand title of "ex-pat" rather than "economic migrant" reveals the levels of British hypocrisy.

Of course, the timing of the Prime Minister's speech owes much to that historic moment on Saturday when 10 new countries will officially accede to the European Union. Mr Blair rightly stressed the benefits of workers from these countries exercising their right to come to Britain. Around 100,000 east and central Europeans are already here, either working or studying, and our economy is well capable of accommodating those extra ones who will come and work. Forget the sorry row about whistle-blowers and Bulgarian visas that has dominated the news agenda in recent weeks; Britain desperately needs these workers. Many are well-educated, skilled and eager to utilise their talents to the benefit of their host nation.

Mr Blair set out the economic case for immigration impressively; he also discussed the social advantages for Britain. He talked about the contributions immigrants have made in fields such as sport and music, and emphasised the cultural boost they have provided over centuries. He was also surely right to stress just how well Britain has accommodated immigrants. We have avoided, on the whole, ghettos, segregation and other injustices that have soured race relations in other nations.

But amid such positive talk, it was disappointing to hear the Prime Minister returning to the old canard that immigrants cheat our welfare system - a line from the speech which No 10 shamefully leaked before it was delivered to its friends in sections of the press. To appease them, Mr Blair announced that restrictions will be introduced to prevent jobless EU immigrants being given housing benefit for two years, but this is an irrelevant measure. As the Prime Minister repeatedly pointed out himself yesterday, most immigrants come to work, not to sign on.

On the whole, yesterday's speech stood out for the right reasons. Mr Blair's account of what migrant workers have contributed to Britain, and what they still have to offer, made a refreshing change from the moral cowardice, evasion and "tough" posturing we have seen all too often in the past. Now his ministers must follow his lead: stop pandering to their enemies and start defending immigration with equal boldness and resolve.