It is not difficult to understand why immigration and asylum specialist solicitors will look with a degree of jaundiced suspicion on the government's proposals to allow raids of law firms in an effort to clamp down on unqualified advisers.

Not that highly professional and dedicated specialist solicitors will hold much of a brief for unregulated advisers.

Indeed, it is widely recognised that many of the latter are guilty of abusing the system, and, as the Law Society has been saying for some time, it is they who require increased regulation to protect the public and the integrity of the system.

The problem is that the home secretary, David Blunkett, and his boss, the Prime Minister, have hardly endeared themselves to the specialist lawyers.

They are viewed as shooting from the hip and invoking simplistic and inflammatory language in an attempt to take the populist ground - remember the 'legal aid gravy train'.

But the issue is far too complicated for pure populism, and therefore, Mr Blunkett and Mr Blair are widely resented by hard working solicitors on the ground.

Specifically in relation to the proposed increase in powers for the Immigration Services Commissioner, there are clearly legitimate concerns over solicitor/client privilege and civil rights that Whitehall officials will have to address.

Likewise, however, ministers must be given some credit for attempting to deal with the pernicious problem of cowboy advisers.

The next step they should take is to engage in considered and constructive debate on the entire issue of asylum.