Cameron condemns 'half-baked' plan

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The Opposition leader insisted his party was leading the debate as it published proposals including a new dedicated civil emergency force.

Mr Cameron hailed the "very strong" package of measures put together by a policy group led by former Whitehall intelligence chief Dame Pauline Neville-Jones, his new shadow security minister.

He said: "British security must come first. We need to look at our foreign policy, domestic policy, energy policy and our policy towards community cohesion and see all of them through the prism of maintaining and enhancing national security."

Mr Cameron, whose leadership of the party has come under intense scrutiny in recent days, said the report was proof of the strength of the party's position.

"This report is the product of 18 months' hard work by leading experts in the field. This is substance. Compare that with what happened yesterday where a really half-baked plan for a national border police force was hurriedly announced by Gordon Brown.

"Why? Because he knows we are setting the agenda on the vital issue of security."

The call for a dedicated civil emergency force - with a command centre - sparked a row with the Government over the military's role in dealing with recent floods.

Dame Pauline said it remained unclear whether the armed forces had been able to give all the help needed on the ground. A small force of up to 2,000 troops that is "readily available, properly trained and has a command centre" to deal with emergencies, including terrorism, was required she said.

But Defence Minister Bob Ainsworth she was "completely wrong and totally unfair" and insisted the armed forces had "done everything we were asked to do".