Gordon Brown on Thursday night acted to appease a group of Northern Ireland MPs threatening to vote down his flagship anti-terror legislation by pledging the province could keep more of the money it raises through government asset sales.

The prime minister was attempting to soothe a growing row over what will happen to the proceeds from the sale of public land and redundant military bases in Northern Ireland by announcing the government planned to double to £2.2bn the amount the province’s executive could retain.