The influential Commons home affairs select committee has attacked government attempts to introduce the European arrest warrant into UK law.

MPs raised a series of objections to the government's plans to overhaul "Victorian" extradition laws.

Opposition to the flagship Extradition Bill has focused on the euro arrest warrant (EAW) - a measure that is headed for a tough time at the hands of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats in the Lords.

Critics say the Europe wide warrant could see British citizens arrested for offences that are not crimes under UK law.

The principle of "dual criminality" - whereby the offence for which extradition is sought must also be an offence under British law - is to be ditched.

And the scope of offences covered by the EAW has set alarm bells ringing in the UK and across Europe.

One of the proposed offences covered by the warrant is "racism" - raising the prospect of conflicting national laws on free speech.

Many MPs have been angered by David Blunkett's decision to sign up to the proposal.

The home secretary has committed the UK to introduce the EAW at meetings of European justice ministers despite opposition to the move at home.

These criticisms have been echoed by the select committee.

"The committee express concern about some important aspects of the decision to adopt the European arrest warrant," say the MPs.

"In particular, they are concerned about the erosion of the safeguard of "dual criminality" and the ill-defined nature of the 32 categories of offence which will be exempt from the dual criminality requirement."

"They note in particular the fact that no debate on this issue was held on the floor of the House of Commons."

Home Office minister Bob Ainsworth has accused critics of the EAW of talking "a lot of nonsense".

Publishing the bill in November, the Home Office hit back at "myths" propagated by opposition and human rights campaigners.

"There is a lot of nonsense that is being talked about the European arrest warrant," he told journalists.

Ainsworth argues that the benefits of a closer Europe bring new responsibilities in areas such as EU-wide crime.

"All of us are EU citizens who have a right to cross [borders] without any difficulty. That applies to the criminal as well as the law abiding," he said.

"There are very real benefits to Britain as a result of the changes brought about by the introduction of the EU warrant."

But the Labour chairman of Commons home affairs committee, Chris Mullin, is set to add his voice to opposition to the EAW.

"We are not happy with the bill as it stands and we want to see some significant changes," he said.