Tony Blair has been urged to stop his ministers "playing politics" with terrorism after Commons leader Peter Hain claimed Britain would be safer under Labour than other parties.

Charles Kennedy, the Liberal Democrat leader, wrote to the Prime Minister expressing his "profound concerns" that terrorism was in danger of becoming a "party political matter".

He condemned Hain's claim as "irresponsible and counterproductive".

Kennedy added: "At no stage have the Liberal Democrats - nor, to the best of my knowledge for that matter the Conservatives - have been anything other than supportive of the substantial additional resources which have been made available to our vital security services."