In a speech on immigration earlier this week, Prime Minister David Cameron announced a raft of proposals to address what he called 'the something for nothing' culture among immigrants coming to the UK.

These are cowardly proposals, founded on the kinds of myths and lies we've seen promoted by UKIP, the BNP and some tabloid newspapers.

They completely ignore the reality that immigrants are far less likely to claim benefits than the indigenous population, even after working here for several years, and as a whole contribute more to the public purse than they take out.  

It's certainly true that people in Brighton and Hove sometimes struggle to access the housing, medical and other support they need. But immigrants are no more to blame for the economic crisis than those struggling to find work, pay their rising bills or feed their children on unacceptably low wages.

If the Government is really serious about addressing people’s concerns, it should be developing border controls that are fair and humane, then do much better at enforcing them.

It should also invest in our communities so that everyone – whether you are born here or not – has somewhere decent and safe to live, the prospect of a job and can access school places or the NHS, for example, when they need to. 

Instead, not content with attacking the poorest and low-paid through cruel and unworkable welfare cuts, our young people by pricing them out of university, and our public sector workers by slashing their rights and pensions, the Tory-led government is now turning its fire on yet another vulnerable group in society.