Ahead of talks in Luxembourg today, David Blunkett has warned his European counterparts not to push for a harmonised asylum system.

The home secretary yesterday phoned the Dutch holders of the EU presidency to insist that policies such as common border guards "should not be on the table" in future talks.

That move came after criticism of British backing for plans to scrap the national veto on key asylum and immigration decisions.

A Home Office spokesman said Britain backed the removal of the veto because "we are one of the fastest-moving countries on immigration and asylum, and it means we can drive it forward, rather than go at the pace of the slowest-moving member of the EU".

But shadow home secretary David Davis said the government was being "gullible".