NO one should argue with the idea of this country being a safe haven for people genuinely fleeing life-threatening religious, racial or political persecution.

We have a centuries-old tradition of granting asylum and that national generosity and tolerance is one of the hallmarks of our civilised nation.

But our hospitality - and our benefits system - has been abused by economic migrants masquerading as asylum seekers in order to better themselves financially.

Their presence in large numbers - and the system that enables them to enter the country - has also provided fuel for the far right and those who seek to destabilise our existing communities.

As Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson says it is difficult to see how someone from the Czech Republic - which has fulfilled all the criteria to join the EU from May 1 - can justify being in Darwen as an asylum seeker.

And when the 15 EU nations become 25 in a couple of months fears have been raised of large numbers of workers from former communist states coming here.

There are some parts of the country, the large arable farming areas of East Anglia for example, which rely on such people to do jobs that Britons won't touch.

But we must ensure, as neighbours like France and Germany have already done, that when the EU drawbridge is lowered the influx of people is regulated and closely monitored to ensure our taxpayers are not financing open access to the benefits system for foreigners.