A FORMER Mayor of Worcester has provoked controversy by attacking migrants for "jumping on the bandwagon" - describing them as a "swarm" trying to push their way in.

Councillor Alan Amos has come under fire from Amnesty International campaigners, who say the outspoken ex-first citizen is depicting desperate people "like animals".

Councillor Amos, who once said the city should twin with Gaza, also says he believes Worcester and the rest of the nation has a "silent majority" that agree with him.

Prime Minister David Cameron has responded to the humanitarian crisis in Syria by saying the UK will take in 20,000 Syrian refugees by 2020 - igniting the debate about Britain's role in helping the world.

The leader of Worcester City Council, Councillor Simon Geraghty, is having talks with other senior politicians in 10 days to consider what Worcestershire's response should be.

Councillor Amos has already written to council officers and asked them if any migrants heading to Worcester would get priority over those on a housing waiting list.

He has also penned a piece to your Worcester News on why he feels the city should resist the siren calls to help.

He said: "As we witness swarms of immigrants pushing their way into Europe on a daily basis, it seems the voice of the silent majority of the British people is being ignored on this issue, as it usually is.

"For those who say we should be more 'generous', I would remind them that last year alone the UK took in an unprecedented 650,000 immigrants, and was one of the few countries to meet the UN target of giving 0.7 per cent of GDP on foreign aid.

"The UK is now the most densely populated country in Europe, with the highest birth rate and fastest growing population, due to reach an unsustainable 70 million by 2020.

"We must also realize only about 20 per cent of this 'tsunami' are Syrian refugees. "The other 80 per cent - jumping on the bandwagon - are migrants from Eritrea, Nigeria, Sudan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

"I visited Syria as a tourist some years ago and it grieves me to see what is going on there, no right-minded person could be unmoved by the pictures of the little children.

"However we must deal with the practicalities of the situation."

He pointed to Worcester's housing waiting list, which stands at around 1,600, saying "where are the empty houses, the empty school places, the specialist teachers, the empty GP surgeries, the hospital beds" to help them.

Councillor Amos, who also called Germany "irresponsible" for opening its borders to 800,000 refugees, insisting it would encourage more people to come over, said for the "sake of our social cohesion" Worcester people "have a right to know" what sort of numbers could come in.

His use of language has come under criticism from campaigners, who say he has "de-humanised" people.

Ruth Forecast, from the county branch of Amnesty International, said: "He is making very sweeping statements - in our experience it's quite the opposite, there is a silent majority out there who are desperate to help.

"Talking about people like they are animals is not helpful, it de-humanises them - what would he do in their situation?

"But his use of language is quite deliberate, I think."

Labour Councillor Adrian Gregson, a former city council leader who is urging the county to do more, said: "He's on very dangerous territory, pandering to a small minority.

"I think the majority of British people are supportive and have high moral standards."

A Worcester News poll last week found 50 per cent in favour of the county taking in Syrian refugees, with 48 per cent against and two per cent unsure.