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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Smith plans 42-day terror limit | Smith plans 42-day terror limit |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has announced plans to extend the period that terrorism suspects can be held without charge for up to 42 days. | Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has announced plans to extend the period that terrorism suspects can be held without charge for up to 42 days. |
| In an attempt to win over critics, it is planned to give MPs a role in any decision to let police hold suspects for more than the current 28-day limit. | In an attempt to win over critics, it is planned to give MPs a role in any decision to let police hold suspects for more than the current 28-day limit. |
| Ms Smith said 42 days would be needed only in "exceptional circumstances". | Ms Smith said 42 days would be needed only in "exceptional circumstances". |
| Ministers have come up against strong opposition from Tories, Lib Dems and some Labour MPs over terror detentions. | Ministers have come up against strong opposition from Tories, Lib Dems and some Labour MPs over terror detentions. |
| 'Murder and mayhem' | 'Murder and mayhem' |
| Ms Smith told the BBC there was a "serious and consistent threat from terrorism". | Ms Smith told the BBC there was a "serious and consistent threat from terrorism". |
| She added: "In order to ensure we prosecute people who want to cause murder and mayhem on our streets, we may well need to hold them longer to do that." | She added: "In order to ensure we prosecute people who want to cause murder and mayhem on our streets, we may well need to hold them longer to do that." |
| Ms Smith also said: "We need to legislate now for the exceptional circumstances that there might be in the future." | Ms Smith also said: "We need to legislate now for the exceptional circumstances that there might be in the future." |
| The home secretary will have the power to set a 42-day limit. | The home secretary will have the power to set a 42-day limit. |
| Ms Smith said: "To emphasise that the higher limit is exceptional, it must be approved by Parliament within 30 days." | Ms Smith said: "To emphasise that the higher limit is exceptional, it must be approved by Parliament within 30 days." |
| Ministers recently proposed extending the terror detention limit to 56 or 58 days. | Ministers recently proposed extending the terror detention limit to 56 or 58 days. |
| Not only is it a breach of fundamental liberties enjoyed for centuries by the British people, it is likely to prove counter-productive in the fight against terrorism David DavisShadow home secretary Detention law around worldSend us your comments | Not only is it a breach of fundamental liberties enjoyed for centuries by the British people, it is likely to prove counter-productive in the fight against terrorism David DavisShadow home secretary Detention law around worldSend us your comments |
| The 28-day limit was itself a compromise, after former prime minister Tony Blair failed to convince Parliament to increase it to 90 days in 2005. | The 28-day limit was itself a compromise, after former prime minister Tony Blair failed to convince Parliament to increase it to 90 days in 2005. |
| Apart from ministers, the government-appointed reviewer of terror laws, Lord Carlile, has said he thinks there is a case for extending the detention limit. | Apart from ministers, the government-appointed reviewer of terror laws, Lord Carlile, has said he thinks there is a case for extending the detention limit. |
| But civil liberties groups have accused ministers of abandoning consensus and playing politics with terror laws. | But civil liberties groups have accused ministers of abandoning consensus and playing politics with terror laws. |
| The Commons home affairs select committee, which meets to consider the issue later, is also believed to be unconvinced. | The Commons home affairs select committee, which meets to consider the issue later, is also believed to be unconvinced. |
| Terror 'arms race' | Terror 'arms race' |
| Shami Chakrabarti, director of civil liberties campaign group Liberty, accused the government of abandoning attempts to build a consensus on the issue. | Shami Chakrabarti, director of civil liberties campaign group Liberty, accused the government of abandoning attempts to build a consensus on the issue. |
| "It seems more like politics than policy-making to me. I think it is a real mistake as I've never seen such good will in the House of Commons," she said. | "It seems more like politics than policy-making to me. I think it is a real mistake as I've never seen such good will in the House of Commons," she said. |
| Plans may have been rushed out to change the subject from party funding BBC political editor Nick Robinson class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/2007/12/surprise_announ.html">Read Nick's thoughts in full "I believed there was a unique opportunity to end the arms race on terror laws, to actually achieve something that would last beyond just one government." | |
| The Conservatives and civil rights group Liberty have argued that current powers to call a national emergency are sufficient when faced with a case that requires going beyond 28 days. | The Conservatives and civil rights group Liberty have argued that current powers to call a national emergency are sufficient when faced with a case that requires going beyond 28 days. |
| Shadow home secretary David Davis said: "They [the government] are making a proposal for something they still have not proved necessary. | Shadow home secretary David Davis said: "They [the government] are making a proposal for something they still have not proved necessary. |
| "They have lost the argument to further extend pre-charge detention beyond 28 days again and again." | "They have lost the argument to further extend pre-charge detention beyond 28 days again and again." |
| Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg said: "The government is tying itself up in knots in an ever-more desperate attempt to sweeten the bitter pill of this proposal for its own backbenchers. | Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg said: "The government is tying itself up in knots in an ever-more desperate attempt to sweeten the bitter pill of this proposal for its own backbenchers. |
| "Frankly, what the government is now proposing is not easy to understand." | "Frankly, what the government is now proposing is not easy to understand." |