A senior European Union official has said that the British government is threatening the country's future by stirring up unfounded fears about immigration.
EU Commission Vice President Viviane Reding accused the British government of using a "supposed invasion of foreigners" to distract attention from the country's real problems.
"We have made the analysis for all member states and we have seen that in general, what the people who come to work bring to the taxation and to the social security is much bigger than what they get out, and those who take out of the social security are more the nationals, much more the nationals, than the European citizens who take advantage of the free movement. So it is just a myth to speak about an invasion. This invasion simply is not taking place."
The comments have drawn an angry response from Britain's governing Conservatives.
British Prime Minister David Cameron's government has taken an increasingly tough tone on immigration, proposing to limit new arrivals' access to welfare benefits and charge migrants for some health services.
The rhetoric has annoyed some of Britain's EU partners.
