The Conservatives have warned that Britain's food laws need urgent reform.

The party claimed yesterday that imported food and poor labelling were leading to British shoppers getting a bad deal.

Tim Yeo, the shadow trade and industry secretary, said the government should act to ban imports of food that pose a risk to human or animal health.

He also called for greater honesty in the way food is labelled.

"For too long now this government have ignored imports of food that pose a risk to human or animal health and misleading food labelling," said Yeo."Produce that puts consumers at risk should be stopped immediately. The law to do this already exists - all the government need is the desire to put British consumers ahead of other interests."

His demand comes just days after the Asda supermarket chain was found guilty by the European Court of Justice of labelling ham sliced in the UK as Parma ham.

David Lidington, the party's rural affairs spokesman said ministers should also lobby for animal welfare to be included in the next World Trade Organisation agreement.