The Prime Minister will not intervene after a policeman murdered by a terror suspect was rejected for a bravery award, Downing Street indicated today.

Stephen Oake, a Special Branch officer, was stabbed repeatedly as he tried to prevent the escape of Kamel Bourgass, an al-Qaeda plotter who grabbed a kitchen knife and made a bid for freedom during a police anti-terror raid on a house in Manchester in January 2003.

Unbeknown to the officers, Bourgass was wanted in London in connection with an alleged al-Qaeda ricin factory in a North London flat.

Detective Constable Oake received fatal injuries as he hung on to Bourgass's arms for several minutes, trying to prevent him from stabbing other officers and getting out of the door.

The Chief Constable of Greater Manchester recommended that DC Oake, 40, a father-of-three, should be posthumously awarded the George Cross.

But it has now emerged that the panel which assesses the award have turned down the recommendation, ruling that his actions were no "greater than the call of duty requires".

The Cabinet Office’s George Cross Committee, chaired by Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O’Donnell, rejected the application for that medal saying that DC Oake's bravery did not meet the "extremely high" standards required to receive the George Cross, Britain's highest civilian gallantry award.

They also turned down a recommendation for a lesser bravery award, the Queen’s Police Medal for Bravery.

Police chiefs have urged Tony Blair to step in and overturn the decision, but Downing Street indicated today that that was unlikely to happen.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Mr Blair had no formal role in deciding who got medals. He said there was no precedent for him to step in and it would be wrong for the Prime Minister to be personally involved.

The spokesman said the George Cross Committee made recommendations for awards and the Prime Minister "formally" submitted them to the Queen.

But he added: "There is no input from the Prime Minister. There is a procedure which is followed for gallantry awards just as much as for honours awards and it would be wrong for the Prime Minister to get involved personally in that procedure. I am not aware of any precedent for Prime Ministers becoming involved in this kind of process."

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