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| Campaigners joy at 42-days defeat | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Civil liberties campaigners are celebrating after the government was forced to shelve the most controversial part of its counter-terrorism policy. | Civil liberties campaigners are celebrating after the government was forced to shelve the most controversial part of its counter-terrorism policy. |
| Plans to extend pre-charge detention from a maximum of 28 days to 42 were defeated in the Lords by 191 votes. | |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is now set to push on with the Counter Terrorism Bill without the 42-days proposal. | |
| Labour rebels have warned that any attempt to resurrect the idea will be resisted steadfastly. | Labour rebels have warned that any attempt to resurrect the idea will be resisted steadfastly. |
| Former Labour Attorney General Lord Goldsmith said the climbdown was "absolutely the right decision" as the measure was "not only unnecessary but also dangerous". | Former Labour Attorney General Lord Goldsmith said the climbdown was "absolutely the right decision" as the measure was "not only unnecessary but also dangerous". |
| The home secretary's alternative legislation was a non-starter unless there was an extremely different scenario facing the UK, he added. | |
| "I think what happened today demonstrates that if they ever did try to bring it forward, it would not get through." | "I think what happened today demonstrates that if they ever did try to bring it forward, it would not get through." |
| Shami Chakrabarti, director of campaign group Liberty warned the campaign against the measures would go on. | Shami Chakrabarti, director of campaign group Liberty warned the campaign against the measures would go on. |
| "Liberty has been overwhelmed by the public and parliamentary support for our campaign against this dangerous and counter-productive measure," she said. | "Liberty has been overwhelmed by the public and parliamentary support for our campaign against this dangerous and counter-productive measure," she said. |
| 'Biggest defeat' | 'Biggest defeat' |
| 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. |
| 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? | 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? |
| 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." |
| 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". |
| 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." |