Tony Blair and Michael Howard have clashed over rising levels of violent crime.

The row came during a session of prime minister's questions on Wednesday when the Opposition leader claimed that "the fight against crime has been lost" under Labour.

The Conservative chief argued that the government has used figures inconsistently in a bid to present the best possible case to the public but that voters know "crime is out of control".

"This week we saw another horrific murder in London. Sadly it was not an isolated incident, 211 people were murdered in London last year," Howard said.

He also questioned Tony Blair on what had happened to violent crime and gun crime under Labour.

The prime minister replied that the figure varied according to which measure was used

"On the British Crime Survey violent crime is down. It is correct on recorded crime it is up," he told MPs.

"But he [Howard] will know that is in very large part because of the changes in recording domestic violence and other things.

"Of course violent crime and gun crime is too high, which is why we have introduced new measures both in the criminal justice legislation and to say that anybody who is caught in possession of a firearm will be given a minimum sentence of five years."

Howard countered that "the British Crime Survey figures don't include murder, rape, drug offences or crimes against children".

"On the recorded crime figures, violent crime is up by 83 per cent, a million violent crimes are now committed every year, gun crime too has doubled," he said.

Detection

The Tory leader added that "the prime minister said 'we will increase the rate at which we catch and convict people'.

"Can he tell us what has happened to detection rates since 1997?" he asked.

Blair said the rate of detection has increased in the last year but defended the British Crime Survey.

"The British Crime Survey is the most authoritative survey in the United Kingdom. That is why it is used."

He added that crime had "doubled under the Conservatives" and that violent crime is "an issue all over the world".

Howard replied that Blair had used the recorded crime figures "to make his point against the last government".

"Crime fell by 18 per cent when I was home secretary and it has risen by 16 per cent under this government," he said.

"Under this prime minister the fight against crime has been lost and crime is out of control."

Detection rates had fallen by 10 per cent under Labour, he added.

But Blair said crime had also gone up by over 50 per cent under the Conservatives using the British Crime Survey figures.