The former head of the Security Service has called on the political parties to co-operate on issues of national security.
In an interview with the House Magazine, Baroness Eliza Manningham-Buller said that she regarded the "politicisation of the debate on intelligence" during recent rows over the Counter-Terrorism Bill with "regret".
The former MI5 chief helped sink the government's plans to delay terrorist suspects without charge for up to 42 days with a devastating attack in the House of Lords.
On her intervention Baroness Manningham-Buller told the magazine: "I should have much preferred not to have had to make my maiden speech a week after my arrival.
"Having been a discreet public servant for over 30 years, it was a bit uncomfortable for me to stand up and give my personal views on part of the Terrorism Bill but I knew I had to do so.
"The press coverage focused on the issue of 42-day detention without charge for some terrorist suspects but I also wanted to get across my, possibly naïve, hope for a cross-party consensus on national security."
The peer said that it was important that all parties try to co-operate on matters of national security and suggested that to do otherwise was a mistake.
"I really do believe that it should be possible to achieve broad agreement, with disagreements confined to fringe issues. I regret the politicisation of debate on intelligence, terrorism and security when people of all parties and none share so much common ground," Manningham-Buller said.
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