Government holds firm on detention plans

The government is preparing to face a tough vote on the Terrorism Bill tomorrow, as it has refused to back down over controversial 90-day detention plans for terror suspects.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke, who had been expected to announce a compromise on the proposed maximum time that suspects could be detained, announced that the government will press ahead with the original 90-day proposal.

The move follows a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party, at which MPs reportedly showed strong support for the proposal.

The government has also agreed to introduce a “sunset clause” in the Bill, allowing it to be reviewed after one year, if it is passed.

Senior Labour backbencher Janet Anderson has tabled an amendment to the Bill, reducing the detention limit to 60 days, but it is understood that this is only intended to be an option if the government fails to secure enough votes for the 90-day proposal.

On Monday, Prime Minister Tony Blair remained confident that MPs would vote for the 90-day proposal. He said: “We intend to use the time between now and Wednesday to try to get people to understand the importance of giving the police and our security services the powers they need to prevent terrorism in this country.”

On Tuesday, Chancellor Gordon Brown announced his support for the 90-day proposal, while Metropolitian Police Chief Sir Ian Blair also voiced his support, saying that there was "chilling" evidence of new terror plots.

The Bill narrowly avoided defeat, by a majority of just one last week, after Mr Clarke hinted at compromise on detention plans and offered all-party talks on the issue.

The Conservatives have argued for a 28-day limit on detentions, while the Liberal Democrats want the maximum time limit to remain at 14 days. Similarly, there are Labour backbenchers that are opposed to the 90-day limit.

Labour backbencher David Winnick has reintroduced an amendment calling for a maximum limit of 28 days, which he withdrew last week, following Mr Clarke’s offer of all-party talks.

However, it has been reported that some Conservative MPs are planning to vote with the government on the issue. One, former home office minister Ann Widdecombe, told BBC Radio 4’s ‘Today’ programme that she intended to vote with the government, due to the introduction of the sunset clause.

However, Shadow Attorney General Dominic Grieve said: “The government’s decision makes a mockery of the assurances that Charles Clarke gave earlier. It suggests a major split between the Home Secretary and the Prime Minister. It shows that the government has behaved with a degree of deceit in dealing with Parliament.

“It is now for Parliament to ensure that there is adequate support for national security while maintaining essential freedoms.”

(KMcA/SP)