XENOPHOBES claim that over the past half century or so the United Kingdom has become the world's biggest refugee camp, with people of all nationalities heading here like homing pigeons. The main difference being that, once they land, they show neither desire nor inclination to fly off again.

Many arrive illegally. No one knows the precise number. Immigration has become a political hot potato, with the government trying to balance its observance of human rights issues against the baying of some media right wingers, who play on the fear and suspicion of the indigenous population.

Well, the pot is about to boil over as from May 1 there will be nothing to stop people from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia arriving in Britain to work. The operative words there are "to work".

The countries listed above are all former Iron Curtain nations which are about to join the European Union. This has led to warnings that hundreds of thousands of economic migrants will head our way, hoping to plunder our benefits system.

Home Secretary David Blunkett acted very quickly to close that route. While opening the door to workers from the Eastern European, he restricted their access to benefits until May 2006. They will have to be in continuous employment for a year before they can claim anything and Tony Blair added that if the immigrants couldn't support themselves, they would be put out of the country. I'd like to see those draconian rules applied to our home-grown dole scroungers.

I don't know if you saw the TV footage which accompanied the announcement of the new European Union members and Mr Blunkett's offer to the citizens of those countries who wanted to come here to work. The most alarming as from Slovakia, which featured footage of people living in appalling conditions.

The head of one hospital admitted that members of his medical team would earn far more money if they relocated to the UK, which would gravely weaken an already far-from-robust health service.

The thought crossed my mind at that point that it would be far better if the economically strong members of the EU did something to help those among the new admissions who were clearly in need of a leg-up.

It seems daft to me that plumbers, joiners, plasterers, electricians, bricklayers and other essential trades persons will be heading for the UK when they are needed at home to improve the living standards of their fellow citizens, as well as their own. But high unemployment and low wages for those in work will be determining factors in the migration from Eastern Europe.

A welcome awaits in some parts of Britain where the simple task of getting a plumber, joiner or whatever can be anything but simple. Does anyone know how to ask: "Can you give me a price for a kitchen cabinet" in Slovak!