David Cameron has been accused of stoking 'kneejerk xenophobia' by a European commissioner over his 'unintelligent' accusations of benefit tourism among EU migrants. Responding to the Prime Minster's speech last week in which he vowed to restrict access to housing benefits and the NHS for those coming to the UK under EU free-movement rules, the European commissioner for employment, social affairs and inclusion, László Andor, told the Observer his claims were misleading. 'There is a serious risk of pandering to knee-jerk xenophobia,' he said. 'Blaming poor people or migrants for hardships at the time of economic crisis is not entirely unknown, but it is not intelligent politics in my view.
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PM blasted for his 'unintelligent' plans to restrict handouts for migrants
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Mr Cameron on collision course with Brussels over crackdown
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Lord Mandelson also rejects notion of 'benefit tourists' and insists immigrants benefit UK economy
@placeholder law says that before EU citizens who are 'not active in the labour market'  become eligible for social security benefits, they have to pass a strict 'habitual residence test' proving they have a genuine link with the UK.