David Cameron created an entirely false debate in his speech on immigration because he has focused on cutting benefits for EU migrants. But the simple fact is migrants – people like me – do not come to the UK for benefits, we come because the British economy is growing and we want to work.

He is perpetuating this myth that people from elsewhere in the EU are benefit scroungers or somehow “on the make” and then saying that by cutting these in-work benefits or housing benefits he can control the numbers of people coming here. It is not true, and a lot of traditional Conservative voters realise that, which is why they are turning to Ukip.

If he wanted to start a real, honest debate he could have said to the British public: look, we cannot bring the number down, that is the reality and there are real benefits for us. But we can, if you want, just get out of the EU, with everything that entails, so let us have that discussion, have that referendum.

But he didn’t, he lied, and I don’t think anyone will respect him for that.

For us as Europeans living in this country, the speech was especially depressing. He has added to the growing feeling we have that there is a war against us. Ukip has changed the tone of the debate and that has an impact on how we live.

There has been a steep rise in attacks against Romanians, Polish people and others from the EU in the last year and some of my friends have suffered abuse or assaults. Things are changing and Cameron’s speech encouraged the feeling that we are somehow the enemy, the problem, and I feel very sorry about that.

Cameron started by setting out British values of tolerance and openness that the UK has been known for a long time, and I liked that. But he claimed he is continuing that tradition, and I don’t feel he is. The climate is very hostile to us now and the politicians are fuelling that. British values are altered by what is happening.

Cameron’s speech makes the UK feel less open, less safe, less friendly – and he is not the only politician to do so. All the main parties seem to be following Ukip in this debate and it is having dangerous consequences for us as we try to go about our day-to-day lives.