So finally, the government has given up on its plan to extend police powers to detain terror suspects without charge to a maximum of 42 days: the Home Secretary has said she’ll drop the clauses from the Bill when it comes back to the Commons. This of course follows the government’s defeat in the Lords, a defeat I predicted back in June – not that that was the most difficult piece of prognostication ever – but which was more massive than expected, the government mustering less than half the votes of its opponents. I’m not surprised the government has realised it’s now time simply to fold; if it’s not prepared to use the Parliament Acts – and that would have been outrageous given the split in its own ranks and the state of public opinion – then it can never get its way on this.
And like buses, government towels may be delayed, but sometimes come at once, because Jacqui Smith has also decided to shelve her proposals for a new power for her to be able to order an inquest to take place without a jury in the “public interest”, an awful idea I warned about in April. That concession, mind, is only temporary: it may pop up again next year. I hope not, though.
At the weekend I went to the pictures to see How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, a film that turned out to be a slightly satirical rom-com starring Simon Pegg and Kirsten Dunst; though from its title it might just as well have been about the content and conduct of the Counter-Terrorism Bill as brought to you by Gordon Brown and Jacqui Smith.
The 42 days idea has only been shelved. A new Counter Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Bill has been drafted – please see:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/news/counter-terrorism-bill-statement
and
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/draft-counter-terrorism.pdf
The Coroner’s proposal will almost certainly return as part of a more comprehensive reform of the Coronial system.
The next big nasty is to be the Data Communications Bill –
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4948602.ece
To protect us or to control us? I know what I think.
An appalling performance by Ms Smith in Parliament after the defeat. Her attitude and comments will, inevitably, lead to the continuing alienation of her own back-benchers as well as the vast majority of other MPs.
It was astounding to see her completely ignore the reasons for the savage defeat in the Upper House – and the abstentions and votes against by Labour peers.
Perhaps she’ll learn the lessons, but somehow I think she’s too thick and/or too arrogant to do so.
She should have stuck to the teaching profession. With any luck she’d have made it to being head of a nice Comp somewhere – and we would not have had to endure her priggish schoolmarming.