The figures are certainly contradictory. It is difficult to know who to believe. Some sources claim that up to two million Poles have left the country since it joined the EU.

The vast majority of those who have left have headed to those three countries that opened their borders to them - the UK, Eire and Sweden - these were the only existing EU countries that did not impose restrictions on Polish workers.

And, in our opinion, each of these countries has gained considerably economically as a result of the injection of cheap, skilled labour.

While it's true that a good plumber - the current euphemism for reliable, cheap, skilled and semi-skilled labour - can now be found in London and most other major cities, the reality is that the 'plumber' in question is almost certain to be Polish.

All well and good for the Brits, Irish and Swedes, so long starved of dependable, reasonably priced craftsmen. But what of the effects back in Poland?