The prime minister will tomorrow seize personal control of the government's immigration policy.

As pressure mounted following weekend media reports, Tony Blair is to call together senior ministers and police chiefs for top-level talks.

Number 10 says the prime minister wants to mount a "cross-departmental assault" on immigration and asylum abuse.

Downing Street has denied that the prime minister's decision to take control amounts to a vote of no confidence in home secretary David Blunkett.

Blair is also facing claims that ministers were forced to break the rules in order to reduce the overall asylum numbers in a bid to meet his personal pledge to secure a 70 per cent reduction in refugee claims.

It was reported at the weekend that the prime minister had agreed with Romania to lift visa restrictions on the country in return for help reducing the number of asylum seekers entering the country.

Following the recent rows, a YouGov poll for the Mail on Sunday found that 80 per cent of voters do not believe the government is taking a tough enough approach to immigration.