Britain could suffer a Madrid-style atrocity in the general election campaign, Charles Clarke warned as he battled to win support for anti-terrorism legislation including house arrest without trial.

Insisting the new laws had to be in place within weeks, the Home Secretary refused to back down on the principle of "control orders" yesterday, although he hinted that judges could be given stronger powers to review them.
The measures are being opposed by the Tories, Liberal Democrats, many Labour MPs, civil rights groups and much of the legal profession.