THE Conservatives went on the offensive over asylum yesterday in an attempt to recapture the initiative in the election campaign.

Despite Labour's apparent difficulties over Deputy PM John Prescott's punch-up with an egg-throwing demonstrator, and the pundits' perception that the Tories had a good start to their campaign, the opinion polls steadfastly refuse to move in their favour.

In some, Labour's lead is increasing. Mr Prescott's left hook seems, on balance, to have met with approval.

The Tories' plans to deal with asylum seekers are vital to William Hague. It is one of the few issues where the Conservatives lead in voters' approval ratings.

Unfortunately, it is also one of those issues that relies on people's instincts and perceptions, rather than the reality of their daily lives.

Most people have opinions based on direct or indirect experience in areas such as the health service, schools, taxation, crime, the environment and transport.

Most don't know any asylum seekers - but many are frightened by what they perceive as a "flood" of them coming in.

Mr Hague did not pull his punches in his speech in Dover, the port at the centre of the "flood".

"We will clear up Labour's asylum mess. Conservatives will ensure that Britain is a safe haven and not a soft touch," he said. "The fact is that Britain today has become a soft touch."

The Tories plan to hold all asylum seekers in detention centres while their claims are processed. They would need a total capacity of 5,000 to 6000, they say. Migrants from a so-called resurrected "white list" of "safe" countries would be barred from receiving asylum in the UK.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Francis Maude would not give a figure for his party's costs, but was confident it would, in the end, save money.

This was immediately seized on by Home Office Minister Barbara Roche, who claimed the Tories would need to spend £2bn, building 64 new centres, each with a capacity of 500, with running costs at £1bn a year.

Labour's problem is that it is trying to appear as tough and as macho as the Tories.

At the same time, it points out Britain is a multi-cultural, inclusive society with a long tradition of tolerance towards newcomers from other countries.

Mrs Roache stressed this - yet appeared to take pride in the claim that the number of unfounded claimants removed from the UK will rise to 30,000 a year in 2001-2.

The row was intensified by condemnation of the Conservative plans as "inhumane" by the UN High Commission for Refugees.

The Refugee Council said: "It means detaining people who have not committed any crime, including women and children, many of whom have been persecuted."

Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy attacked the Tory policy as "mad, bad and dangerous".

The Conservatives are following up this asylum onslaught with what they perceive as their other electoral ace - a renewed attack on Europe and their pledge to keep the pound.

Choosing to do this on a weekend, when the news bulletins are shorter in length, may reflect their desire to minimise criticism from within their own ranks - candidates who not only want to ditch the euro, but want a referendum on withdrawing from Europe altogether.

The black Tory peer, Lord Taylor of Warwick, who criticised William Hague during the party's race row, said yesterday he "had a difficulty" with a major part of the leader's asylum policy.

He said: "You have to treat people like human beings. We are not talking about cages, but you are taking away in effect people's liberty. I think the real answer, you know, is not detention centres but to make sure that the system is more efficient and effective."

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