Senior Labour MP calls for pull-out from Afghanistan

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Kim Howells, chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee, urged the Prime Minister to tear up his counter-terrorism strategy with a radical shift towards defending Britain rather than defeating al Qaeda in Afghanistan.

Mr Howells said: "It would be better... to bring home the great majority of our fighting men and women and concentrate on using the money saved to secure our own borders, gather intelligence on terrorist activities inside Britain, expand our intelligence operations abroad."

The former Foreign Office minister, who had responsibility for Afghanistan until last year, said his "Fortress Britain" strategy would involve "more intrusive surveillance in certain communities" - which could spark a backlash among some Muslims in the UK.

Mr Brown has said Britain may send 500 more soldiers to Afghanistan, boosting the number to 9,500, as part of a troop surge being considered by America. Mr Howells questioned whether it could be successful: "I doubt whether the presence, even of another 40,000 American troops... will guarantee that the Taliban and their allies will no longer be able to control significant stretches of countryside.

"There can be no guarantee that the next seven years will bring significantly greater success. Sooner rather than later, a properly planned, phased withdrawal of our forces from Helmand province has to be announced."

The Pontypridd MP said he was not speaking on behalf of the ISC committee. He admitted that any withdrawal would "fundamentally" alter British relations with America and Nato.