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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Ministers shelve 42-day detention | Ministers shelve 42-day detention |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has told MPs that plans to extend terror detention to 42 days will be dropped from the Counter-Terrorism Bill. | Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has told MPs that plans to extend terror detention to 42 days will be dropped from the Counter-Terrorism Bill. |
| It follows a heavy defeat for the government in the House of Lords, which threw out the plan by 309 votes to 118. | It follows a heavy defeat for the government in the House of Lords, which threw out the plan by 309 votes to 118. |
| Ms Smith said instead the measure would be in a separate piece of legislation to be brought to Parliament if needed. | Ms Smith said instead the measure would be in a separate piece of legislation to be brought to Parliament if needed. |
| The Tories said she should just say she was abandoning 42 days. The Lib Dems said it was a "humiliating retreat". | The Tories said she should just say she was abandoning 42 days. The Lib Dems said it was a "humiliating retreat". |
| The government's plan to extend the period for which police can hold terrorist suspects before charging them squeezed through the Commons in June by just nine votes. | The government's plan to extend the period for which police can hold terrorist suspects before charging them squeezed through the Commons in June by just nine votes. |
| 'Biggest defeat' | 'Biggest defeat' |
| On Monday, it was defeated by a majority of 191 votes in the Lords, described by the Conservative former shadow home secretary David Davis as "the biggest defeat in the Lords in living memory". | On Monday, it was defeated by a majority of 191 votes in the Lords, described by the Conservative former shadow home secretary David Davis as "the biggest defeat in the Lords in living memory". |
| In a forceful statement to MPs less than two hours after the vote, Ms Smith said: "I deeply regret that some have been prepared to ignore the terrorist threat, for fear of taking a tough but necessary decision." | In a forceful statement to MPs less than two hours after the vote, Ms Smith said: "I deeply regret that some have been prepared to ignore the terrorist threat, for fear of taking a tough but necessary decision." |
| The decision to prepare emergency legislation instead is merely a fig leaf which does little to disguise their defeat Nick CleggLib Dem leader Peers throw out 42-day planAnalysis: Tactical retreat? class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5483&edition=1">Send us your comments | |
| She said she had prepared a new bill which would allow the director of public prosecutions to apply to the courts to question a terrorist suspect for up to 42 days "should the worst happen". | She said she had prepared a new bill which would allow the director of public prosecutions to apply to the courts to question a terrorist suspect for up to 42 days "should the worst happen". |
| She said Britain still needed to "be prepared to deal with the worst", adding: "My priority remains the protection of the British people. | She said Britain still needed to "be prepared to deal with the worst", adding: "My priority remains the protection of the British people. |
| "I don't believe as some honourable members clearly do that it's enough to simply cross our fingers and hope for the best. That is not good enough." | "I don't believe as some honourable members clearly do that it's enough to simply cross our fingers and hope for the best. That is not good enough." |
| 'Political posturing' | 'Political posturing' |
| Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve said the prime minister's spin doctors had stopped Ms Smith from "saying in straightforward terms that she is abandoning 42 days". | Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve said the prime minister's spin doctors had stopped Ms Smith from "saying in straightforward terms that she is abandoning 42 days". |
| He told Ms Smith: "You somewhat demean yourself when you, yet again, come back to this argument that those who oppose the government's measures are weak on terrorism." | He told Ms Smith: "You somewhat demean yourself when you, yet again, come back to this argument that those who oppose the government's measures are weak on terrorism." |
| He said the Conservatives were "perfectly prepared to be firm on terrorism" and pass difficult bills. | He said the Conservatives were "perfectly prepared to be firm on terrorism" and pass difficult bills. |
| Lords reject 42-day detention plan | Lords reject 42-day detention plan |
| "But they have to be credible, they have to be based on evidence and they must not be put forward in a way that smacks of mere political posturing and gimmicks." | "But they have to be credible, they have to be based on evidence and they must not be put forward in a way that smacks of mere political posturing and gimmicks." |
| He questioned the need for the new bill, asking why the government could not simply use existing civil contingency powers. | He questioned the need for the new bill, asking why the government could not simply use existing civil contingency powers. |
| Mr Davis, who resigned his seat in protest at the Commons vote on 42 days in June, described the move as a "spectacular climbdown". | Mr Davis, who resigned his seat in protest at the Commons vote on 42 days in June, described the move as a "spectacular climbdown". |
| Liberal Democrat spokesman Chris Huhne said the government had "comprehensively lost the argument" and was now in "humiliating retreat". | Liberal Democrat spokesman Chris Huhne said the government had "comprehensively lost the argument" and was now in "humiliating retreat". |
| Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg added: "The decision to prepare emergency legislation instead is merely a fig leaf which does little to disguise their defeat." | Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg added: "The decision to prepare emergency legislation instead is merely a fig leaf which does little to disguise their defeat." |
| He added: "The push for 42 days' detention was more about ministers posturing and looking tough than it ever was about fighting terrorism." | He added: "The push for 42 days' detention was more about ministers posturing and looking tough than it ever was about fighting terrorism." |