Michael Howard will today continue his push to highlight Conservative policy on asylum and immigration.

The Conservative leader will deliver a speech saying "we simply cannot ignore the scale of the problem".

He will add the the current system is "in chaos" and will accuse the government of having run out of ideas.

Meanwhile, a YouGov poll in the Telegraph shows strong public support for a tough line on asylum.

Some 66 per cent of those asked were either "strongly" or "somewhat" in favour of the Conservative proposals for tougher asylum and immigration rules.

The poll also shows that support for Labour, at 35 per cent, is just one point ahead of the Conservatives while the Liberal Democrats are on 22 per cent.