A national security council designed to combat the threats of terrorism and climate change is expected to be unveiled by Gordon Brown this week.

Whitehall officials say the prime minister is planning to announce his much anticipated national security strategy in an attempt to bring the fight against security threats under a cross-government umbrella.

Brown has pencilled in this Wednesday, the fifth anniversary of the Iraq invasion, to announce the setting up of the council, which is likely to include senior ministers, intelligence chiefs and military commanders.

The new structure will also give the prime minister greater control over Whitehall’s response to disasters such as terrorist attacks, flooding and even outbreaks of foot and mouth disease.

Brown has decided to keep the existing Cobra structure, which allows for ad hoc committees of ministers and officials to meet at short notice whenever a national emergency occurs. Cobra dealt successfully with last July’s terrorist attacks in London and Glasgow, as well as the flooding crisis.

The council will sit above Cobra and coordinate the work of the Home Office, Foreign Office, Ministry of Defence and Department for International Development in dealing with security threats. There is some speculation that Brown may ask senior political figures from outside Labour to join.

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