Immigration under Labour has soared eight-fold compared with the last decade of Tory rule, it emerged last night.

The astonishing impact of the Government's controversial 'open door' policy is revealed for the first time in a study by the independent House of Commons Library.

Between 1997 and 2006, the population increased by 1,196,000 as a direct result of immigration - the equivalent of almost 330 extra people arriving each day.

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In the preceding decade of Conservative rule, from 1987 to 1996, the increase was only 141,000.

The study, compiled by Parliamentary researchers earlier this month, also found that between 1980 and 1986 at the start of Margaret Thatcher's term in office the number of arrivals from overseas was outstripped by those leaving, with the population falling by 40,000.

MPs said the study - which is based on official figures only and does not include any migrants who have sneaked into the country illegally - gave the clearest indication yet that Labour had deliberately presided over mass migration.

Tory MP James Clappison, who uncovered the research, said: 'This shows an historically unprecedented level of immigration has taken place under the Labour Government, as a direct result of its economic policies.'

Separate figures obtained by Mr Clappison show that, over the course of the last decade, the vast majority of arrivals have been from outside the EU.

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Between 1997 and 2006, there were more than three times as many arrivals from the rest of the world as from within Europe.

According to research released by the Cabinet Office, the trend even continued in the wake of the EU being extended to eastern Europe in 2004, sparking a massive influx to the UK from countries such as Poland.

In 2004, there were 150,000 arrivals from within the EU, making up 26 per cent of the total. This rose to 182,000 in 2005, and 205,000 in 2006.

But even the 2006 figure constituted only 35 per cent of the total, with 386,000 people  - or 65 per cent - pouring in from the rest of the world.

It will raise questions why ministers - faced with such large numbers of arrivals from eastern Europe - did not seek to limit the numbers coming in from elsewhere to ease the pressure on schools, hospitals and other public services.

They have no control over arrivals from within the EU, due to free movement regulations, but can deny work permits and visas to migrants from the rest of the world.

Tories say the research is clear proof ministers took a deliberate decision not to do so.

Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve said: 'Immigration can be of real benefit to the country but only if it is properly controlled. These figures show that Labour patently does not have control of immigration in this country.

'These stats put pay to ( Immigration Minister) Liam Byrne's spin that an annual limit on non-EU immigration would be ineffective.'

The figures emerged as ministers confirmed plans for 'no fly' lists of foreign nationals such as criminals, suspected extremists and immigration offenders who will be banned from flying with airlines into the UK.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith also restated a promise to electronically count all passengers in and out of the country by 2014.

A Home Office spokesman said: 'We're delivering the biggest shakeup to Britain's border security for 40 years.

'This includes an Australian-style points based system which will cover close to six in ten of all migrants to ensure only those we want and no more can come here.

'Migrants contribute to the economy, putting more into the exchequer purse than they take out.'