Reid clashes with Hain on terror law

Peter Hain has been accused by John Reid, the Home Secretary, of protesting over planned new anti-terror powers in an attempt to boost his deputy leadership bid.

The extraordinary break-down in cabinet discipline has been exposed in a leaked letter of complaint from Mr Reid to Tony Blair. A newspaper had reported that Mr Hain, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, had told other ministers he was worried about plans to give police the authority to stop and question anyone.

Mr Reid implies in his letter to the Prime Minister that Mr Hain had made his views known in an effort to appeal to Labour activists. He also claims that Mr Hain proposed the powers he is now attacking. The Home Secretary tells Mr Blair: "We all understand that collective responsibility does not end just because a deputy leadership contest begins. Any light [Mr Hain] could shed on the source of these leaked and 'hyped briefings' would be welcome." Mr Reid copied his letter to Sir Gus O'Donnell, the Cabinet Secretary, and the ministerial committee on security and terrorism.

Sources close to Mr Hain said he had objected only to the presentation of the proposed stop and question policy in The Sunday Times.

One said: "Peter has been entirely consistent. His question was not about whether these proposed police powers are or are not appropriate to be used in England and Wales. His concern has been about the way they were portrayed."

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