Clashes over ban for Hizb ut-Tahrir

There have been Commons clashes over whether or not Islamic organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir should be banned.

Conservative leader David Cameron told MPs that ministers should act against "groups which are seeking to radicalise young people".

The government had pledged to ban the group two years ago, he said. "We think it should be banned. Why hasn't it happened?"

Gordon Brown said that "you have to have evidence" to ban any group.

The prime minister said there had been a number of investigations into the organisation.

But Cameron said that Hizb ut-Tahrir is "poisoning the minds of young people".

Brown responded that it could be possible to ban the organisation under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

But noting that he had only been prime minister for a matter of days, he told Cameron that the issue would be reviewed again.

"I hope he will agree with me that we approach these things in a sustained way and in a calm way and we do not jump to conclusions, we look at all the evidence," said Brown.

"That is the basis on which the government will proceed."

Cameron said the public would find it hard to understand why the organisation had not been banned.

In later exchanges, former home secretary John Reid pointed to two recent reviews of Hizb ut-Tahrir which concluded there was "not sufficient evidence" for it to be banned.

And he called on Brown to "stay absolutely on the course he set today and to stick by the law and the evidence and not by any arbitrary political advantage".

Reid commended the prime minister and new home secretary for the "cool and steadfast way" in which they have handled the recent terror alerts.

He added: "Can I tell him that nothing would be more politically disadvantageous than taking a case without evidence and then losing it.

"It would confirm all of the accusations made against us."

Brown thanked Reid - who stepped down from the cabinet at the same time as Tony Blair - for "the work he did as home secretary", particularly in setting up new arrangements for dealing with terrorism.

The prime minister agreed that "however distasteful remarks that are made by organisations are, we must proceed on the basis of evidence and we must work within the law".

"I have to say to this House that there will be no panic reactions on the part of the government," he added.

"We will work in a strong and steadfast manner, working within the law."