Detention laws

Jun 11 2008 by Rob Merrick, Liverpool Daily Post

LABOUR MPs who swing behind 42-day detention for terror suspects tonight will be trying to save Gordon Brown's bacon – not cheering the draconian plan itself.

A crunch vote has not taken place like this – when the Government has so miserably failed to make the argument – since, well, since Tony Blair lost on 90-day detention.

The strongest evidence for that claim is the way the so-called "concessions", granted one week ago, have unravelled so quickly under close examination.

* MPs were promised the 42-day power will be invoked only in a true emergency – but the new threshold of a "grave exceptional threat" is so low it could mean almost anything.

* MPs will debate a case within one week of 42-day detention coming into force (instead of 30 days) – but the risk of prejudicing a future trial means they will still be unable to see the evidence.

* A judge will have a stronger role in approving any 42-day detention – but there will be no evidence to test, otherwise there would be a prosecution.

Not surprisingly, a committee of MPs and peers quickly concluded the legislation would still breach human rights law, as well as be wildly out of step with the rest of the Western world.

It remains a mystery why the Prime Minister is staking his political life on 42-day detention, but the suspicion is that he wants to appear as tough as Tony Blair.

One insider has suggested Mr Brown feared his predecessor would use his experience of fighting terrorism to stay in No.10 – prompting the then-Chancellor to hastily rethink his policies.

The 42 figure itself was plucked from thin air – perhaps from The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, where it was the meaning of life, the universe and everything.

The truth is that, because there are already laws to allow an extension beyond 28 days in a true emergency, today's vote is likely to make little real difference.

The biggest impact will be to further dent Mr Brown's reputation among MPs desperate for him to take the fight to the Tories on the issues that really matter to voters.

If Mr Brown does get his Bill tonight, it will only be with many Labour MPs holding their noses.

LAST week, my emergency manifesto to save Labour from election defeat proposed free services for teenagers, including entry to swimming pools.

Lo and behold, two days later, Culture Secretary Andy Burnham unveiled exactly such a policy (with the small difference that pensioners will gain first).

Can it be a coincidence that Liverpool-born Andy's parents still live locally – and read the Daily Post?