MR John Major condemned the "true wickedness" of Sinn Fein and the IRA yesterday, saying the Grand National incident had put back the date when Sinn Fein might enter talks.
However, no sooner had the main party leaders joined the British Prime Minister in his criticism of the IRA than a dispute erupted over comments by the Home Secretary, Mr Michael Howard. He suggested that Labour "can't be trusted on terrorism.
Mr Major condemned Sinn Fein and the IRA for believing they could take part in an election campaign while attempting to murder members of the public. The actions of "these inadequate people," he said, were a "total and utter misjudgment both of this British government and, I would hope, any British government, and certainly of the British nation."
Sinn Fein's chance of entering the talks process after a ceasefire was put back. "It certainly doesn't put it forward. For Sinn Fein to wish to join the talks it is necessary for the other parties to be prepared to stay, in the talks as well. I can't think this sort of action is going to encourage them to think Sinn Fein is serious.
The Labour leader, Mr Tony Blair, described the Aintree incident as "contemptible". He warned the IRA that it should understand it could not "blackmail" British people with threats of violence. The Liberal Democrats' leader, Mr Paddy Ashdown, said the IRA's tactics would not change the unity of the political parties on Northern Ireland.
Echoing Mr Blair's views, the Shadow Home Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, made it clear that the IRA had put itself "beyond the pale as far as any resumption of talks with them in the short time after the election is concerned. If the IRA think a Labour government would be softer on terrorism than anyone else, they're wrong."
Mr Howard referred to comments by the Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, a week ago, that an immediate IRA ceasefire could see Sinn Fein's involvement in the talks process in June. He said Labour could not invite Sinn Fein into talks when "year after year" it voted against the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
Mr Straw joined the fray to clarify Labour's policy on Northern Ireland. Dr Mowlam's comments were "never a formal offer," he said. He insisted a Labour government would continue to operate the Prevention of Terrorism Act, although he conceded the party did have doubts about the use of exclusion orders and judicial involvement in detention orders.
Mr Blair reacted immediately to Mr Howard's comments, writing to Mr Major to remind him that Labour was committed to fighting terrorism. Clearly angered, Mr Blair wrote: "Nobody detests terrorism more than I do and nobody is more determined to defeat terrorism and bring the killers to justice."
A Labour spokesman last night accused Mr Howard of deliberately breaking the agreement between the major parties about the way it responds to terrorist incidents.
"Now that we have made the nature of that agreement public, we hope that Mr Howard will accept that this should not happen again and that Mr Major will make sure that it does not", the spokesman added.