Border security inadequate, report says

Lord Stevens will criticise UK border security

Tuesday, 01, Jul 2008 12:00

The government lacks a clear border strategy to prevent terrorist attacks, a report by ex-police commissioner Lord Stevens is expected to say later today.

The report, which was commissioned by the Tories and will be launched late today at a press conference with David Cameron, highlights the air cargo system one example of lax security.

Small air fields are also mentioned due to their short flying time to mainland Europe.

As an example of border security failure, the report points to the lack of armed police around Glasgow airport when it was hit by a failed car bomb last summer.

"The lack of a clear border security strategy has resulted in a situation in which agencies are unaware of where their shared priorities lie," the report will say.

"This has resulted in key duties not being carried out, resources not properly allocated, organisations not working together as they should and focus being placed on narrow border control issues, specific to each agency and not the overall border security picture of the UK."

The Conservatives are keen to paint Labour's record on security in a bad light after Gordon Brown tried to paint them as soft on terror during the debate on 42-day detention. Mr Cameron says the government's actions reek of "incompetent authoritarianism".