The UK government says it will not be closing its embassy in Manila after Australia, Canada and the EU closed their offices amid fears of terrorist attack.

The Tories have tabled a Commons written question asking about the UK position.

The embassy closures came this week following concern about "imminent" attacks from militant Islamic groups.

It is not only location specific, targeting the Australian embassy itself, but also it's time specific

Alexander Downer Australian foreign minister

Australia advised its citizens against non-essential travel to the Philippines, while the Canadian government said: "Canadians should not travel to the Philippines until further notice."

The Australian government said it had evidence of a "specific and credible" threat against its embassy.

"It is not only location specific, targeting the Australian embassy itself, but also it's time specific," Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told Australian radio.

The EU mission is located in the same building as the Australian embassy.

A UK Foreign Office spokeswoman said security arrangements at embassies were kept under close and constant review.

She said the UK was in "close touch" with the US, Canadian, Australian and Philippine authorities over the situation in Manila.

Warnings

But the Conservatives are asking why the UK has not taken similar steps to Australia and Canada.

A spokesman said the party had "long-standing concerns" about the situation.

The Tories have called for an urgent review of international security co-operation after the UK did not replicate Australian warnings about travel to Kenya ahead of this week's terrorist attack in Mombasa.

The Australian foreign affairs ministry posted the warning about "possible terrorist attacks against Western interests" on its website on 12 November.

The French had also warned its citizens about travel to Kenya.

Threat

The Australian travel advice on the Philippines reads: "Threats against Australians and Australian interests in the Philippines are high, given possible terrorist action and generally heightened security concerns.

"We have received credible and specific information of a threat to the Australian Embassy in Manila.

"We advise Australians to defer non-essential travel to the Philippines."

The UK's foreign office website advice on the country says: "There is an increased threat to British nationals and British interests from terrorism in South East Asia.

"Following the terrorist attacks in Bali on 12 October in which Western tourists were deliberately targeted, the threat to British nationals in the Philippines has increased significantly.

Reconsider

"British nationals should exercise extreme caution in all public places including restaurants, shopping malls, social clubs, on public transport, at places of worship (including cemeteries) and should avoid crowds and crowded places like nightclubs and bars.

"All British institutions and businesses should reconsider their security arrangements. British and international schools should be especially vigilant."

The authorities in the Philippines have criticised Australia and Canada for closing their embassies in Manila with little warning.

But the Philippines National Security Adviser, Roilo Golez, said on Friday that officials in Manila doubted the credibility of the embassies' intelligence.

Several governments in South-East Asia have criticised the terror warnings issued by Western governments since the bombing on Bali last month.

Fears of new attacks in the region have intensified since the blast, which killed nearly 200 people.

'Not friendly'

Mr Golez said he had complained to officials at the Australian and Canadian embassies.

"I told them that was not the act of a friendly nation, it was not a friendly act," he said.

But the Australian ambassador, Ruth Pearce, told a news conference that the authorities had been told in advance about her country's plans to close its embassy.

After meeting the Australian and Canadian ambassadors, the Philippine Foreign Secretary, Blas Ople, also criticised the two countries for not sharing their information about any possible threat.

Mr Ople is scheduled to meet foreign diplomats on Monday to discuss intelligence and security co-ordination.

Philippine officials have said they will tighten security around embassies.