Blair backs minister under fire on migrants

Tony Blair today backed Immigration Minister Beverley Hughes after leaked documents revealed she allowed officials to cut corners on granting citizenship.

Home Office papers disclosed that checks were pared back on 9,000 passport applications to cut a backlog of paperwork.

The disclosure was a fresh blow to Ms Hughes after she was forced to admit checks were secretly waived on tens of thousands of migrants from eastern Europe.

The latest row covers migrants living in Britain legally and wanting full citizenship. Memos showed Ms Hughes personally approved a covert plan to abandon residency requirement checks. In a memo detailing the plan last summer, an official wrote to her: "There is no reason why it should be disclosed."

Mr Blair's spokesman said he had full confidence in Ms Hughes, adding he "has said repeatedly she is doing a difficult job well".