IMMIGRATION certainly adds up for St. Ambrose College top economist Paolo Lucci whose entry into the Royal Economics Society's Economist of the Year Competition has won a special award.

From over 1600 hundred entries nationwide, Paolo extended essay The Italian Job came in the top 40 to earn a highly commended certificate.

From an Italian family, Paolo's parents moved to England 20 years ago from the beautiful Amalfi coast line near Sorrento and have worked as high quality restaurateurs since.

Paolo, who got nine A*s and three A grades in his GCSEs and is now studying Economics, Mathematics, French and Italian at the school's sixth form said: “UKIP's position simply does not add up. Immigrants contribute more to the economy in tax than they take out. The bottom line is that they add financial value to this country.

“The statistics support this argument, there is no escaping the truth but UKIP are using immigrants as a scapegoat for all the country’s ills.”

Paolo says he does not want to go into Politics, but after reading Economics at a top university would like to work in the City.

He said: “I feel both Italian and English and believe I have the best of both worlds, but when you go back to Sorrento I do sometimes think 'Dad why did you leave this place.'”

Paul Rush, St. Ambrose College house leader and Economics Teacher, said: “I agree wholeheartedly with everything Paolo has written. It is a detailed, intelligent and reasoned response to what the vast majority of economists believe are unreasonable arguments.”