I HAVE been receiving a number of emails from constituents fearful of invasion by hordes of Bulgarians and Romanians.

I think the doomsday scenario, implicit in some press coverage, of the entire populations of both countries decanting to London is rather over-egged.

But we are right to worry about another source of uncontrolled immigration.

Britain is a small country and is already well on course to becoming the most populous in Europe. We can no longer tolerate the sort of uncontrolled immigration we experienced in the decade from 1997, when 2.2 million people came here.

When the previous tranche of eastern European states acceded to the EU, Britain was alone among existing EU members not to put in place a seven-year transitional restriction on the free movement of workers from the new member nations. The last government estimated that only between 5,000 and 13,000 would come here. In fact it was more than a million.

Since 2010 there has been a massive change in policy leading to the sharpest fall in immigration since statistics have been collected.

We now have the highest number of people in work than ever before and, of the 1.1 million new jobs since 2010, nine out of ten have gone to British workers who were born here.

The Immigration Bill currently going through Parliament will make it much harder for illegal immigrants to get access to public services or to rent accommodation.

In addition, it will ensure that temporary migrants pay to use the NHS. No one wants to see the successes and reductions of the past three years put in jeopardy by a new wave of immigrants when, in January 2014, the EU rules of free movement will apply to Bulgaria and Romania.

Unfortunately, it is part of the deal that Britain signedup to in 1972, and confirmed in the referendum of 1975. My conscience is clear; I voted “No” in 1975.

I do not believe there is any prospect of reviewing this decision before 2017. My colleagues and I have been fighting to get our Referendum Bill for 2017 through the Commons in the face of opposition and without having a majority – but we may still triumph.

In the meantime what we can do, and what we are doing, is making Britain less of a magnet to migrants.

We are changing the rules so that someone has to live in an area for two years before qualifying for social housing.

In addition, we are limiting access to some benefits to six months and strengthening the habitual residence test so anyone claiming benefits must show clear links to this country.

Ultimately, however, we British need to step up to the plate and show ourselves ready to take up the jobs that so many of our own people are still turning their noses up at, preferring to live on benefits.

I have met any number of employers who tell me that foreign workers arrive work-ready, enthusiastic and diligent, not something they say is universal among our own job applicants.