DAVID Cameron has accused former Prime Minister Tony Blair of lobbying him as the row over links between a controversial senior Tory adviser and tobacco companies intensifies.

Labour yesterday stepped up its calls for Mr Cameron to reveal whether or not he had discussed plain cigarette packaging with Lynton Crosby.

Mr Cameron has denied accusations his election guru convinced him to dump the plans.

But the Prime Minister has consistently refused to say if the two men ever discussed the issue.

An Australian political consultant, Mr Crosby's firm has previously worked with firms including tobacco giant Philip Morris.

In what was widely seen as an attempt to turn the tables on Labour yesterday, Mr Cameron made a swipe at Mr Blair's extensive client list as he revealed he had been lobbied by the former leader.

Mr Blair is reported to have made millions since leaving Downing Street working on behalf of organisations including the government of Khazakhstan and the bank JP Morgan. He is also a United Nations Middle East Peace Envoy.

Mr Cameron, who insists Mr Crosby's other work does not affect his role with the Conservative Party, said he could not be expected to ask for the client list of everyone he spoke to. "Tony Blair is a good example," he said. "Tony Blair is someone who does lobby me from time to time on things like the Middle East peace process.

"Do I have to know who all Tony Blair's other clients are? If I did that, I don't think I've got enough paper in my office to write them all down on."

Mr Crosby is credited with telling Mr Cameron to get the "barnacles off the boat", believed to be a reference to ditching policies not seen as core Conservative interests.

Labour have called for the Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood to launch an inquiry into possible conflicts of interest.

Mr Cameron dismissed that call as a "red herring" saying it was designed to divert attention from what Labour's recent troubles over its union links. He added: "Lynton Crosby is employed by the Conservative Party as a political adviser on political strategy – how to combat Labour and how to prepare for the election.

"On decisions on policy, he has no influence and impact. He doesn't lobby. Those decisions on policy are made by me."

The Government yesterday published legislation which will require companies lobbying ministers to declare the names of their clients.

But Mr Cameron admitted the new law would not apply to Mr Crosby.

"The issue of his clients doesn't arise because he is not lobbying me on any issues," he said.

Jon Trickett, Labour's Shadow Cabinet Office Minister, accused Mr Cameron of "dodging" the question of whether or not plain packaging had been discussed 12 times.

"At least 12 times he has refused to give a straight answer," he said.

"It's astonishing the Prime Minister won't be clear about what conversations he has had with a man who is being paid by a big tobacco company at the same time as he is being paid by the Conservative Party.

"The Prime Minister needs to stop taking the public for fools, and start being straight with people. If he has never had a conversation about tobacco policy with Lynton Crosby, he should just say so. If he has, then he needs to stop dodging and admit it right now.

"He used to say sunlight was the best disinfectant – but this suppression of the truth is making the whole Government stink."