New emergency anti-terrorism powers could be introduced by the Government in the wake of the London bombings, Tony Blair said last night.
The news came as the official death toll rose to 52 - and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Ian Blair warned it was likely to increase in the coming days.
Meanwhile, West Midlands Police said a ?real and credible? threat which led to the evacuation of Birmingham city centre on Saturday night had been ?removed?. Chief Superintendent Peter Goodman refused to answer questions about the nature of the threat but said it had been ? dealt with effectively?.
He confirmed that one of the suspect packages investigated by the bomb squad during the alert was was found to be a fireworks device used in theatrical productions.
He said a man had been interviewed in connection with the discovery of a box with wires and a switch at a hotel in Broad Street but no action would be taken against him. Tony Blair said the Government would ?analyse very carefully? what could be learned from the London bombings, but stopped short of promising an inquiry.
Meanwhile, grief-stricken mother of 26-year-old son Anthony, Marie Fatayi-Williams said her heart had been ?maimed? as she continued her desperate search.
