Blair moves to head off revolt over asylum bill

TONY BLAIR signalled a climbdown over plans to reform Britain's treatment of asylum seekers yesterday in an attempt to head off a damaging backbench Labour rebellion.

In a speech to Labour MPs, the Prime Minister adopted a conciliatory approach to the growing anxiety among Labour backbenchers about the Asylum and Immigration Bill. He promised that the Government would try to meet their concerns.

Mr Blair's tone was in marked contrast to the aggressive one struck by ministers before last week's revolt by 80 Labour MPs over plans to cut benefits for disabled people. The Government fears an even bigger rebellion over the asylum shake-up.

The Prime Minister was questioned over the proposals by three MPs at yesterday's meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party. Although he said he was ``unyielding'' on the principles of the reform, he urged his MPs to hold talks with Jack Straw, the Home Secretary, and hoped that most of their concerns could be met.

Appealing for his MPs to avoid a confrontation, Mr Blair told them: "Please don't end up in a situation where you cut away the ground for reform altogether." He added: "We want to introduce a fair and effective system which is not open to abuse."

It is understood that Mr Straw is planning significant concessions to the Labour rebels. In private meetings with MPs, he has suggested that he is willing to reconsider the three key elements of the Bill that have caused most concern. Crucially, the Home Office may boost aid to refugee children by increasing their supplementary cash benefits from 50p a day to up to pounds 2 a day.

The Bill's protection of children may also be stengthened to ensure that provisions of the 1989 Children's Act aimed at preventing abuse and destitution are not lost.