Many of today's front pages carry photos of the Fathers 4 Justice campaigner who sparked a major security breach by scaling Buckingham Palace and holding a five hour protest beside the royal balcony.

In a statement to the Commons last night, David Blunkett said police took the "entirely correct decision" in identifying the man, Jason Hatch as a protester and not a terrorist.

The home secretary said the Metropolitan Police commissioner, Sir John Stevens, had stated that if the intruder had been assessed as a threat he would have been shot before he entered the building.

He called the intrusion "a publicity stunt" and "a foolish and silly thing to do which harms a very reasonable cause".

Stevens admitted that the episode, which took place in the full glare of the world's media, was embarrassing and has demanded a full report.