Police are abusing anti-terror laws by stopping and searchingpeople they do not suspect of crimes simply to provide a “racial balance” in their statistics, the independent watchdog on anti-terror legislation has claimed.

In his yearly report on the application of Britain’s terrorism legislation, Lord Carlile said he had gathered “ample anecdotal evidence” of the practice, which is done to help counter accusations that the police only search people of Middle Eastern, Indian or black origin.