The Home Secretary was ambushed at the high-profile launch of a domestic violence initiative today by a campaigner who accused her of “gimmicks” and "spin".

Jacqui Smith was attending the event to discuss a proposed register for known abusive partners when a leading activist accused her of hypocrisy and grand-standing.

Sandra Horley, chief executive of Refuge, a women’s charity, said: “We have had enough talking - we need action. As for the perpetrators’ register, it is a gimmick and doesn’t address the root problem.

“The Government is hoping to get away with useless initiatives like this register and it is hypocritical to sound tough and do little.”

Ms Smith attempted to interrupt the tirade but she was shouted down and Ms Horley continued, insisting that the recent case of Sabina Akhtar showed that not enough was being done.

"I’m afraid this is just spin and PR. . . The majority of violent men don’t come to the attention of police and it won’t keep women safe.

“Police can’t be expected to monitor relationships and love lives of offenders.”

Eventually, Vera Baird, the solicitor general, stepped in to argue the Government’s case.

The register is among ideas published in a consultation document on reducing domestic violence and protecting women. Under the proposals, abusive partners could be placed on a register and monitored by police who would have the power to allow potential future victims to be warned of their history.

The document also includes proposals to ban offenders from the family home for a fortnight and policies on “honour” killings and the sexualisation of young girls.

Earlier, Ms Smith appeared on breakfast television to say: “Violence against women and girls is unacceptable in any form.

“We’ve already made real progress with domestic violence incidents more than halving in the past 12 years. But I want to start a national debate on what more we can do to prevent it and challenging attitudes which condone it.”

She told GMTV: “Perhaps there may be times when it is appropriate for people to actually be given information by the police that somebody that they have started a relationship with is somebody who has a history of violence.”

The Home Office commissioned an opinion poll into attitudes towards domestic violence to coincide with the publication of the proposals. It found that one in seven people believe it is acceptable in some circumstances for a man to hit his wife or girlfriend if she is dressed in “sexy or revealing clothes in public”.

A similar number believed it was all right for a man to slap his wife or girlfriend if the is “nagging or constantly moaning at him”.

The poll also disclosed that about a quarter of people believe wearing sexy or revealing clothing should lead to a woman being held partly responsible for being raped or sexually assaulted.

However, a significant majority of 1,065 people over 18 questioned last month believe it is never acceptable to hit or slap a woman.

The poll, conducted by Ipsos Mori by telephone in England and Wales, found that people aged 25-39 were more likely to consider there were circumstances in which it was acceptable to hit or slap a woman.

Men and women over 65 and those in the lower social class groups D and E are more likely to believe woman should be held partly responsible for being raped or sexually assaulted.

Ms Smith said more needed to be done to challenge attitudes which condoned violence against women and girls.

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