The European Commission wants to change rules that currently mean refugees must claim asylum in the first country they arrive in, which could increase pressure on Britain to take more refugees.

Scrapping the so-called Dublin regulation - seen as the lynchpin of the EU's asylum system - could leave the UK and other northern European countries more open to migration flows.

According to the Financial Times, the proposals are expected to be put forward in March.

The timing of the announcement is seen as a significant blow to Prime Minister David Cameron as he bids for reforms to the European Union in the face of the Brexit referendum campaign.