The Government has tonight announced an urgent inquiry into Haringey Council's handling of the case of Baby P and said that it would be parachuting a senior child protection officer into the London borough.

Ed Balls, the Children's Secretary, said that ministers had examined Haringey's own review of the case, in which a 17-month-old baby died after horrific abuse, after the conviction of two men at the Old Bailey for "causing or allowing" the boy's death.

Baby P's mother had already pleaded guilty to the same crime. A police source told The Times tonight that she has bragged to friends that she will be home by Christmas.

Mr Balls said that the borough’s own review pointed to severe failures by the professionals who were meant to be looking after the boy, who suffered more than 50 injuries including a broken back.

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MPs are feeling pretty ashamed of themselves at the moment

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“Clearly such findings in an individual case raise serious concerns about the wider systems and management of services for safeguarding children in Haringey," he said.

“In the light of these findings, I have today decided that Ofsted, the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection and the Chief Inspector of Constabulary should carry out an urgent Joint Area Review of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in Haringey."

He added: “It is important for me to act in a proper way and not to allow the anger and emotion which I am sure that we all feel at the tragedy of this case and its horrific nature to get in the way.”

Michael Gove, shadow children’s secretary, said: “I welcome the fact that the Government has ordered this inquiry. “

The Government had already announced a separate nationwide review to be carried out by Lord Laming, effectively reopening his inquiry into child protection practices after the death of Victoria Climbie – the young girl murdered by her guardians in Haringey eight years ago.

Mr Balls announced today that while his review is being completed, the head of child services in Hampshire, John Coughlan, would be sent into Haringey "to ensure that proper procedures for safeguarding children are in place and are being properly applied".

Earlier, the Baby P case prompted a furious row in the Commons between David Cameron and Gordon Brown after the Tory leader complained that Haringey's review of the case had not been independent.

On the nature of the review, the Children’s Secretary said: "The review will need to undertake an urgent and thorough inspection of the quality of practice and management of all services which contribute to the effective safeguarding of children in the local area.

“I would expect the review to be led and carried out by inspectors with specialist expertise and experience in child protection. Given the importance and urgency of these matters, I request that a first report be submitted to me by 1 December 2008. "

He added: “The case of Baby P is tragic and appalling. It is our duty to take whatever action is needed to ensure that such a tragedy doesn’t happen again, that lessons are learned and that children in Haringey are safe.”

In the Commons today, Mr Cameron demanded that the Government take over the council's social services department. The Prime Minister replied that he regretted that the Tory leader was "making a party political issue of this".

Conservative MPs reacted furiously, shouting "cheap" and "shameful" at Mr Brown as Michael Martin, the Speaker, appealed for calm.

Mr Cameron demanded repeatedly that the Prime Minister withdraw the statement, having asked what he said were "perfectly reasonable" questions about the case, with Mr Martin constantly struggling to restore order amid noise from baying backbenchers.

The conduct of both leaders was criticised as undignified by MPs this afternoon, the day after the end of the Old Bailey trial which heard that social workers had been duped into believing that the boy's injuries were accidental.

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