Britons have poured cold water on Tory MPs' demands to keep out Romanians and Bulgarians, with two-thirds of people saying they would welcome newcomers.

Despite media propaganda warning of "floods" of migrants from the two countries when curbs are relaxed on January 1, pollster Ipsos-Mori said yesterday that most people would welcome people prepared to work hard and integrate.

Tories have been clamouring for David Cameron to extend controls on the eastern Europeans.

But an adviser to Romania's PM said Britons should be "more concerned about bankers who steal billions than Roma who beg on the streets."

Damian Draghici said he expected relatively few Roma would journey to Britain on January 1.

"The Roma begging in the streets are obvious because we see them, they ask for one pound or one euro and they bother us," he said.

"Yet some of the people in the banks are stealing billions of euros but nobody sees them because they are on the 60th floor."

Mr Draghici, an adviser on Roma affairs, said many felt Britain was "too cold" and predicted that only around 2,000 to 3,000 would travel to Britain this winter.

Conservative Grassroots director James Joshua had previously claimed that 300,000 people would come across in one day.

The Tory media warned of "millions of Romanians" flooding into Britain when the country joined the EU in 2007.

Reporters waited at airports for the rush of new arrivals - it never happened.

But a seven-year restriction was imposed on Romania and Bulgaria, allowing their citizens visas only if they were self-employed, had a job offer or were given a specialist role.

Anti-fascist group Searchlight director Gerry Gable accused the right-wing press of "hysterical rantings" for attempting to enflame public opinion and "besmirching this country's dignity."

More than 50 Tory MPs have backed an amendment to the Immigration Bill to call for an extension of controls on people from Romania and Bulgaria.