This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/7425280.stm
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Terror concessions being planned | Terror concessions being planned |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The government is preparing to offer Labour MPs a major concession to avoid losing a vote on terror detentions, the BBC has learned. | The government is preparing to offer Labour MPs a major concession to avoid losing a vote on terror detentions, the BBC has learned. |
| Ministers want to extend the limit suspects can be held without charge to 42 days, which many Labour MPs oppose. | Ministers want to extend the limit suspects can be held without charge to 42 days, which many Labour MPs oppose. |
| To avoid losing a Commons vote, the government is to suggest halving the period during which police can enact these extra powers from 60 to 30 days. | To avoid losing a Commons vote, the government is to suggest halving the period during which police can enact these extra powers from 60 to 30 days. |
| The BBC's James Landale said this was a "significant concession". | The BBC's James Landale said this was a "significant concession". |
| The government is facing a tough parliamentary battle to extend the limit on holding terror suspects without charge. | The government is facing a tough parliamentary battle to extend the limit on holding terror suspects without charge. |
| The Conservatives, Lib Dems and an estimated 50 or so Labour rebels oppose moving beyond the current 28-day limit. | The Conservatives, Lib Dems and an estimated 50 or so Labour rebels oppose moving beyond the current 28-day limit. |
| This could see Prime Minister Gordon Brown lose a Commons vote. | This could see Prime Minister Gordon Brown lose a Commons vote. |
| We remain in consensus mode. This is too serious to leave to partisan politics Home Office Minister Tony McNulty | We remain in consensus mode. This is too serious to leave to partisan politics Home Office Minister Tony McNulty |
| The temporary powers granted to police would - under the Terror Bill as currently drafted - last for a maximum of 60 days before expiring automatically. | The temporary powers granted to police would - under the Terror Bill as currently drafted - last for a maximum of 60 days before expiring automatically. |
| At the end of that period, any suspect who had been detained for longer than 28 days would have to be charged or released. | At the end of that period, any suspect who had been detained for longer than 28 days would have to be charged or released. |
| But ministers are now preparing to reduce the period during which the police have the extra powers to 30 days. | But ministers are now preparing to reduce the period during which the police have the extra powers to 30 days. |
| Our correspondent said: "This is a significant concession because it curtails police powers rather than improving the scrutiny of the way they are agreed." | Our correspondent said: "This is a significant concession because it curtails police powers rather than improving the scrutiny of the way they are agreed." |
| "We remain in consensus mode. This is too serious to leave to partisan politics," said Home Office Minister Tony McNulty. | "We remain in consensus mode. This is too serious to leave to partisan politics," said Home Office Minister Tony McNulty. |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said he would rather "do the right thing" and lose, than back down on the 42-day limit. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said he would rather "do the right thing" and lose, than back down on the 42-day limit. |
| The government wants to secure the support of the nine Democratic Unionist Party MPs for its plans. | |
| One possibility might be with offers of seats on the intelligence and security select committee. | |
| Or it could be by ensuring income from the sale of surplus Army land in Northern Ireland stays in the province, rather than going to the Treasury. | |
| Mr Brown's predecessor Tony Blair suffered his first Commons defeat when he tried to extend the limit to 90 days in 2005. |