But Tony Blair in turn claimed his rival across the despatch box had turned his party into a single-issue pressure group.

Mr Hague welcomed some of the measures agreed by the 15 nations at the Tampere summit last week, which focused on asylum controls and fighting crime.

But he insisted the government's true intention was to make the UK part of a European super-state.

Tony Blair and his foreign secretary at the EU summit last week

"Isn't it the truth that our prime minister is going along with and encouraging a more centralised and more bureaucratic Europe?" he asked.

Mr Hague said the prime minister was "content to be carried along on the tide towards a single European state" - but said voters disagreed.

"That is why the party that stands for being in Europe not run by Europe defeated his party at the European elections," the Tory leader said.

"Isn't it time he listened to that majority? But he is not listening to the British people, so it falls to us to speak with clarity and consistency."

In response, Mr Blair said the Conservative policy of trying to secure opt-outs from EU policies would put the United Kingdom on a "conveyor belt" to leaving the EU.

"The Thatcherites have taken over," he said. "Not the back seat driver any more, they've taken over the front seat."

He added: "You have turned your party into a single issue pressure group that is anti-European.

"You are playing a dangerous game of politics with the fundamental interests of Britain."

The Tory leader also challenged the prime minister to lift the UK ban on beef on the bone at the same time as urging the French to allow British beef onto their shelves.

"What does he say to the French prime minister?" Mr Hague asked. "'Please lift your ban on beef - mind you I don't touch it myself if it has a bone on it.'

"What a stupid position to be in."

But Mr Blair insisted that it was only by being in the European Union that Britain could put pressure on the French to fall into line with the EU ruling.

BBC Political Correspondent, John Kampfner looks ahead

The Commons spat was the first head-to-head confrontation between the two party leaders since the Tories toughened their Eurosceptic stance and the prime minister launched the cross-party pro-single currency Britain in Europe campaign last week.

Mr Blair stressed the importance of agreements to tackle cross-border crime, increase co-operation between different legal systems and adopt common standards to prevent asylum seekers applying for entry in more than one EU member state.

The debate marks the start of a busy four-week period, with Labour seeking to push through several key pieces of legislation, including reform of the House of Lords, before the end of the parliamentary session.