Tony Blair last night directly challenged critics of his wife Cherie to put any evidence they had of "criminal, illegal or improper" behaviour to the proper authorities.

Otherwise, said the Prime Minister: "I think everyone's had their pound of flesh and now it's time to move on."

His latest intervention, speaking in the Danish capital Copenhagen where he is attending an EU summit, came after another day of revelations in the controversy over the Blairs' use of convicted fraudster Peter Foster to help them buy two flats in Bristol.

Mr Blair said: "Let me be very blunt with you. If anyone has any evidence at all - I mean real evidence - of anything criminal, illegal or improper, they should give that evidence to the appropriate authorities.

"I was elected to deal with the things that are really important to people. I say this with very great respect: I think everyone's had their pound of flesh and now it's time to move on."

The Prime Minister's comments came after Mr Foster's one-time partner and Mrs Blair's confidante, Carole Caplin, re-ignited the controversy by revealing that she had asked Mr Foster to fax papers relating to his deportation to her while she was in Mrs Blair's Downing Street flat.

But she insisted that Mrs Blair did not look at them.

"Cherie told me it would not be right for her to read them as it was not her case so I folded them up, put them in my bag and took them home," said Ms Caplin.

Downing Street argued that her account was "entirely consistent" with its earlier line that Mrs Blair had not received the papers.

No 10 was clearly exasperated by the story's continuing prominence, despite Mrs Blair's Tuesday statement, which they hoped would have drawn a line under the damaging saga.

Mr Foster's solicitors later denied knowingly faxing papers on his extradition case to Mrs Blair.

David Janes, of London firm Janes Solicitors, also dismissed any suggestion that his company sought or was offered any advice or influence by the Prime Minister's wife.

Mr Janes said: "We have only provided the papers to our client and Carole Caplin in accordance with our client's instructions."

"We are able to state unequivocally we have neither sought nor been given or offered any advice, assistance or influence whatsoever by Cherie Booth QC."

However, Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith said Downing Street was "drowning in very murky water". He said: "We now need the truth, no question about it, and the only way to establish the truth is to have an independent inquiry."

Last night, it was revealed that Mr Foster sent a video message to Tony Blair three years ago admitting he was a "white collar criminal" but "not a gangster".

His message, obtained by Channel 4 News in Australia, was recorded in 1999 in a Brisbane prison as part of his unsuccessful legal battle to fight extradition to Britain on fraud charges.

There was no indication whether it was ever seen by Mr Blair, or anyone else in Downing Street.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "We are not going to dignify every new line put out by Peter Foster and his associates with a comment. We are talking here about a convicted conman."