Tony Blair today defended his wife after she made a speech criticising the effects of new anti-terror laws on human rights.

The Prime Minister dismissed suggestions that he was at loggerheads with Mrs Blair, a senior human rights lawyer, who warned yesterday that the Government's attempts to tighten security following attacks like the July 7 bombings in London must not be allowed to undermine the rights of citizens.

She said that clashes between the two priorities were inevitable in times of crisis. Judges played a "vital" role in protecting the public against executive power, she said, and she praised the law lords for overturning the Government’s policy of detaining terror suspects without trial last December.

Speaking to 2,000 lawyers, diplomats and academics in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, Mrs Blair urged the courts to continue to ensure that governments respected the rights of suspects in the international fight against terrorism.

"Nothing I say here could possibly be construed as making light of these horrific acts of violence, or of the responsibility imposed on the UK and other governments to keep the public safe," she said.

"At the same time, it is all too easy for us to respond to such terror in a way which undermines commitment to our most deeply held values and convictions and which cheapens our right to call ourselves a civilised nation. The Government, even in times when there is a threat to national security, must act strictly in accordance with the law."

She added: "In our troubled times, where terrorism, division and suspicion of others, are the order of the day, this role for judges is perhaps more vital than ever before."

Courts have to "act as guardians of the weakest, poorest and most marginalised members of society against the hurly-burly of majoritarian politics."

By contrast, at a Downing Street press conference yesterday Mr Blair showed his irritation over past decisions by the courts that have frustrated deportations and terrorism legislation. He particularly criticised the law lords’ rejection of the law that allowed terror suspects to be held indefinitely without trial.

He said that much of the world had dropped its guard against terrorism since the September 2001 attacks in the US. Those events had been a wake-up call but much of the world had quickly gone back to sleep.

He delivered a direct riposte to Lord Hoffman, the law lord who said in December that the real threat to the nation came not from "terrorism" but from detention law. Mr Blair said that he doubted "whether those words would be uttered now".

Welcoming the all-party consensus over legislation, he made clear that he expected the judiciary to uphold it. "The independence of the judiciary is a principle of our democracy. We have to uphold it but I hope that recent events have created a situation where people understand that it is important that we do protect ourself."

But at a press conference in 10 Downing Street today, Mr Blair insisted he was not embarrassed by his wife’s remarks.

"I think I have said myself that it is important that we balance these things - civil liberties for people," he said.

"It is very important to protect our way of life and it is important to protect our security. I think probably, to be fair, if you read the whole of the speech she was saying the same thing."

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