Former minister Stephen Byers has challenged his old Cabinet colleagues not to "give in to right-wing populism" over the issue of asylum.

The former transport secretary told the Social Market Foundation that the government "must not lose sight of the issues that really matter to the British people".

Byers warned that if the government fails to tackle the issue it will face electoral defeat.

"We mustn't fall into the trap of saying that these are worries which have been created by the right and if ignored will go away," he said.