Miliband defends counter terror budgets

Funding for counter-terrorism projects in Pakistan is not being cut, Foreign Secretary David Miliband has insisted. While the Foreign Office budget was "under pressure", counter-terrorism activities were a priority, he said.

Foreign Office minister Lady Kinnock suggested last week that some projects in Pakistan had been axed because of a fall in the value of sterling.
After the threat level to the UK was raised on Friday, Mr Miliband said "extremely vigilance" was required.

Budget pressures
However, he refused to say whether the decision to raise the threat level to severe - suggesting an attack was highly likely - was taken on the basis of specific intelligence.  The Conservatives said they supported the government's decision, given emerging details of the threats facing the country.
The government is hosting a major international conference on the future of Afghanistan in London on Thursday.

The government was forced onto the defensive last week when Foreign Office minister Lady Kinnock said the budget for counter-terrorism activities had not risen by "as much as hoped".

Source: BBC News