When we welcomed 10 new European countries into the EU last year, there was much debate among the EU ‘old 15’ over whether they should open up their labour markets to workers from the new member states. Under EU rules, all citizens are free to live and work in any European country, but several governments agreed temporary restrictions, fearing that labour markets would not be able to cope with the influx of new workers.

These genuine – although misguided – concerns were, of course, compounded by the xenophobic press in the UK. A series of “rancid hate campaigns” (in the words of Denis McShane) culminated in the Daily Express screaming, “The Roma gypsies of Eastern Europe are heading to Britain to leech on us. We do not want them here”. One newspaper even invented a story about every plane from eastern Europe being full of migrants ready to steal our jobs — a claim that was later revealed to be an abject lie, and the paper in question was forced to issue an apology.

In the end, three countries — Britain, Ireland and Sweden — decided not to impose restrictions on migrant workers. This was a brave move, and according to a new report out this week, it has paid off. Not only have we patently not been flooded by migrant workers, but the European Commission’s investigation into the economic effects of workers from the new member states concluded the following:

Countries that have opened their labour markets fully are ‘upbeat’ about it

Migration flows have had a ‘positive effect’ on Europe’s economy

The flow of workers has not been big enough to swamp labour markets

The barriers erected by most of the older EU states have not kept workers out

Restrictions may lead to more ‘undeclared work’ by migrants

The new workers fill gaps in labour markets, particularly in construction and catering

In the light of this new evidence, the Tories hurriedly performed a sharp U-turn and condemned the “protectionist” instincts of countries like Germany and Austria – even though, nine months ago, they were urging Tony Blair to adopt those very same instincts.