BRITAIN needs an FBI-style force to crack down on police corruption, a York MP has said.

Hugh Bayley, Labour MP for York Central, has asked the Prime Minister to set up the new body, in the wake of the News Of The World police bribery allegations.

Speaking in the heated House of Commons debate about the phone hacking scandal, Mr Bayley called on David Cameron to introduce an anti-corruption force to monitor the police.

Mr Bayley said public confidence in the police had been dented by the allegations that officers were bribed by News International journalists and said it was important the police were seen to be regulated.

He asked: “Will the Prime Minister look at whether there is a need for us to establish, as in the United States, an independent police force that can police the police? Will he give the House a guarantee that the Bribery Act 2010 will not be amended while all these investigations and inquiries are going on?”

In response, Mr Cameron said the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) was separate from the police but said the Government must ensure it has the ability to investigate the police and consider whether an outside police force is called in over allegations of wrongdoing.

Mr Bayley replied: “If newspapers are able to obtain favours by paying bribes to the police, it raises a real concern that others, including serious criminals, are doing the same. If the public suspect that a police officer is breaking the law they need to be able to report it without any possibility that the police officer concerned will be tipped off by a colleague.”

He also asked the Home Secretary to clarify whether the IPCC had a track record of dealing with these kinds of crimes.

Speaking after the debate, Mr Bayley said he did not believe the IPCC had the power to investigate allegations of police corruption or bribery.