MPs will be given the final say before a single police force is created for the entire North-East, Home Secretary Charles Clarke pledged last night.

In a dramatic U-turn amid rising criticism of the restructuring plans, Mr Clarke dropped plans to force through unpopular mergers without a vote on the floor of the House of Commons.

In a further sign of the growing pressure on ministers, the Home Secretary agreed to give forces longer to draw up detailed "implementation plans" for redrawing their boundaries.

They are still required to hand in their "business cases" by Friday, but will be given until the New Year to outline a step-by-step programme for restructuring.

The new deadline gives the Cleveland force breathing space to win support for its plan for a Tees Valley force, merging Cleveland with South Durham.

The other two North-East forces, Durham and Northumbria, back the creation of a regional force - the proposal supported by a Home Office review team.

During a passionate Commons debate, Mr Clarke continued to insist the merger of 43 forces into as few as 12 was vital to fight the threats of terrorism and the drugs trade.

Insisting the current structure was "no longer fit for purpose", he said: "The fact is that the nature of crime is changing."

Last night, Mr Clarke won strong backing from Kevan Jones (Durham North) and Roberta Blackman-Woods (Durham City), who insisted arguments for a single North-East force were "compelling".

He added: "A regional force would also have the ability to target more resources into neighbourhood policing - which is vital for public confidence."

But Councillor Dave McLuckie, chairman of the Cleveland Police Authority, remained unimpressed. He said: "I'm not swayed at all by anything that's been said by the Home Secretary."

The pressure has grown on Mr Clarke since the Association of Police Authorities accused him of trying to "bribe" forces into backing his plans. It said police authorities would refuse to co-operate with the Home Office unless it pledged to meet all the merger costs - estimated at £50m per force.

Mr Clarke told MPs yesterday that voluntary mergers could be completed in 18 months, while those opposed by individual forces would be delayed a further six months.

* Assistant Chief Constable Michael Banks, of Durham Police, said last night he remained convinced that merging Durham, Cleveland and Northumbrian forces was the best option for the North-East.

He said: "I was part of the team in the summer that was involved in the assessment for forces around the country.

"I'm convinced that the need to have a strategic force, that is a force that has got the capacity and capability to deliver protective services, is essential to allow the police forces as a whole to be fit for the purpose in the 21st Century."

North Yorkshire and Northumberland police authorities decined last night to comment on the debate.