The prime minister has vowed to get tough on those seeking asylum in Britain.

In a speech to the Labour Party conference, the premier gave a heavy hint that the government is poised to introduce a system of identity cards.

He said that changing the law on asylum was "the only fair way of helping the genuinely persecuted".

And getting tough with the worst offenders would be "the best defence against racism" in Britain.

Whilst he hailed government successes - cutting asylum applications by half - he vowed to step up the government's efforts.

"We must go further, we should cut back the ludicrously complicated appeal process, derail the gravy train of legal aid, fast track those from democratic countries, and remove those who fail in their claims without further judicial interference," he said.

Blair added that in "a world of mass migration" it was time to ask whether ID cards would help stem the problem.

"With cheaper air travel, and all the problems of fraud, it makes sense to ask whether now in the early 21st century identity cards are no longer an affront to civil liberties but maybe the way of protecting them," he argued.