Tony Blair yesterday told MPs that Europe is committed to tackling the immigration crisis despite his failure to secure backing for plans to tie development aid to asylum policy.

Reporting back to parliament after a weekend euro summit in Seville, the prime minister said that substantial progress had been made, despite the widespread view that UK proposals for an asylum crackdown were substantially watered down by EU leaders.

"On economic reform, reform of the council and on the sensitive issues of illegal immigration and asylum, they have made substantial progress," said Blair.

Iain Duncan Smith said the prime minister had been left "isolated" at the Spanish summit.