By Tom Gordon, Scottish Political Editor

CHERIE Blair has praised the Scottish government's "courageous lead" on prison reform, despite it being heavily criticised by the Labour party north of the Border.

The QC and wife of former prime minister Tony Blair makes the comments in a report by the Commission On English Prisons Today. It recommends a radical cut in the prison population and the replacement of short sentences with community-based alternatives.

The ideas mirror those of last year's report by the Scottish Prisons Commission, which justice secretary Kenny MacAskill plans to put into effect through a criminal justice bill currently in the Scottish parliament.

However, he faces resistance from Labour and Tory MSPs, who say having a presumption against custodial sentences of less than six months in favour of "community payback orders" would lead to more criminals on the street.

The English report says: "Scotland has taken a courageous lead in the UK by taking serious steps to address its prisoner crisis. In convening the Scottish Prisons Commission, the Scottish government sought radical and innovative ways to improve public safety."

Blair, the commission president, added: "More widespread use of effective community sentences would both allow us to reduce the use of prison and allow for reinvestment of resources into local communities to cut offending."

Angela Constance, for the SNP, said: "It is time opposition parties dropped the petty politics and focussed on doing what is right to make Scotland's communities safer."

But Scottish Labour attacked the SNP plans again yesterday, citing official figures released under freedom of information laws which showed the offences currently being given short sentences - those likely to avoid jail in future. Last year, 63 people guilty of serious assault, 85 guilty of robbery, 625 housebreakers, 486 drug offenders, and 648 people guilty of offensive weapon charges were sentenced to less than six months.

Labour MSP Paul Martin said: "Under Kenny MacAskill's plans he would essentially be issuing get out of jail free cards to hundreds of dangerous criminals."