SOUTHAMPTON politicians have moved to reassure the city's 26,000 EU migrants that they are welcome in the city.

One in ten residents come from other EU countries – and many fear the Brexit vote could compromise their future.

But Southampton councillors yesterday offered words of support – and united against racist and religious abuse they claim has followed the referendum.

Reports emerged yesterday of a Slovakian porter being told to "pack his bags", playground taunts leaving children in tears and one boy asking his mum to change his name.

Politicians of all parties have signed up to a "zero tolerance policy" and backed a motion "supporting David Cameron's example of uniting the country".

The meeting heard that levels of abuse are not reflected in police statistics.

Labour communities chief Satvir Kaur, who brought the motion alongside Conservative group leader Jeremy Moulton, encouraged affected communities to report incidents.

Hampshire Constabulary said in the week after the EU vote that hate crime had not risen, appearing to buck an increase of 400 per cent nationally.

The cross-party motion was backed unanimously at the meeting, which heard various. Labour council leader Simon Letts said he would write to the Home Office asking for clarification on the status of European citizens in the city.

Many still feel nervous about the future, according to Dave Adcock, who helps migrants integrate through Southampton's EU Welcome programme.

He said: "In the past couple of weeks people are looking at it in a more measured way, just because we've not activated Article 50 [the formal trigger for leaving the EU].

"I think people have calmed down but they're also unsure about big, long-term commitments [to Britain]."

The Government insisted on Tuesday that it wants to bring annual net migration down from 333,000 to under 100,000, as promised by David Cameron at the 2015 general election.

Southampton Itchen MP Royston Smith hailed the Polish community's contribution to Southampton this week and suggested his own Government had created needless anxiety.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Tuesday, he urged the government to "condemn those who seek to create division where no divisions exist".

New PM Theresa May has offered no guarantee that EU migrants will be allowed to stay in the UK after Brexit is completed.

Mr Smith added: "Southampton is the home of the Spitfire, which was flown by so many Polish aircrew. They contribute positively to our community and are very welcome.

"On the subject of the EU, which is my reason for intervening, I voted to leave the political structures of the EU, but I did not vote to repatriate UK nationals who live in the UK."

By James Franklin and Duncan Geddes