Labour puts security at heart of the election

Major new laws on terrorism and crime-fighting will dominate next week's Queen's Speech - putting safety and security at the heart of Labour's election campaign.

Six Bills will confront lawandorder threats, from countering al Qaeda to curbing hooliganism.

The legislative blitz will raise the prospect of an election being fought as much on security as on traditional Labour issues such as help for working mothers.

At the top of the list is Home Secretary David Blunkett's move to set up a national identity card scheme, based on hitech biometric data unique to every person.

New measures to streamline anti-terrorism laws are expected to include making it easier to convict suspects. Balancing these will be a safer neighbourhoods Bill, with the emphasis on stopping the rise in drunken yobbery.

The thinking is that the public needs to feel the Government is protecting neighbourhoods before it approves the controversial measures to safeguard the country from terrorists and mafia-style gangs.

"We have to make people feel safer in their own street as well as safer in the world," said a source.

Yesterday's Cabinet was briefed on the coming election by Alan Milburn, the election campaign co-ordinator. A major political session of the Cabinet will be held in a month, after Gordon Brown's pre-Budget Report on the economic finances.