Powerless Britain?

The British government has been accused of surrendering to the European Union on the issue of immigration:

Labour has given up the UK's powers to set its own asylum laws, Tory leader Michael Howard claimed on Wednesday.

He made the claim during heated Commons exchanges with Tony Blair at prime minister's questions.

Mr Blair rejected the claim, saying Tory plans for controlling immigration and asylum were "unworkable, impractical and uncosted proposals".

Ministers had not given up the UK's right to set its own laws and control its own borders, the PM told MPs.

But Mr Howard said under the current government there was "no limit on immigration, no proper control of asylum and control of our borders has been given to Brussels".

The Tories would introduce a quota on asylum, a limit on immigration and 24-hour security across UK ports.