Clarke tries to rush through anti-terror law (U.K.)

[Judi Lynn]

Clarke tries to rush through anti-terror law

By Joe Murphy, Evening Standard, Political Editor
22 February 2005

Charles Clarke ran into a wall of opposition today as he rushed out new laws to detain terror suspects without trial.

The Home Secretary faced a stormy confrontation with opposition parties and some of his own Labour MPs.

A Bill published this afternoon gives him emergency powers to restrict movement of terrorist suspects without any charges being laid.

Despite informal talks between the parties last night, both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats said they would oppose this.
(snip/...)

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/16784236

[tjwmason]

1. I can see the need for some emergency power

But I agree with the LibDems that if a decision has to be made, it should be made by a judge not a politician.

[corksean]

2. Britain Seeks to Expand Anti-Terror Powers

LONDON (AP) - The British government Tuesday asked for renewed powers to detain terrorist suspects without trial, but said there was no immediate need to put anyone under house arrest.

The government needs the legislation on the statute book by March 14, when a current law allowing the government to jail foreign terror suspects indefinitely without trial expires.

The statement by Home Secretary Charles Clarke on the proposed anti-terrorist legislation suggested that 10 people now held in prison may soon be released.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4817789,00.html

[LynnTheDem]

3. CHARGE THEM...or let em go. That's the LAW and the foundation of

democracy.

Or publicly admit we're not in a democracy anymore and be done with it, UK and US.

[American Tragedy]

4. This guy doesn't sound much better than the last Home Secretary

[struggle4progress]

5. I think I will really cry if the UK forgets the spirit of Runnymede.

[struggle4progress]

6. Majority halved for Clarke's terror law

Michael White, political editor
Thursday February 24, 2005
The Guardian

Labour MPs last night underlined backbench pressure for fresh concessions on Charles Clarke's controversial plans to restrict the movements of suspected terrorists when they slashed the government's 159-vote Commons majority by more than half on the bill's second reading.

Even before the Commons voted the bill through by 309 votes to 233, a Labour majority of 76, the home secretary had signalled his willingness to reduce his own power to impose control orders - including house arrest and other restrictions - and increase the role of judges and lawyers before the bill heads for the Lords.

Thirty-two Labour MPs voted with the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and nationalists against what successive speakers dubbed draconian infringements of personal liberty. With Robin Cook, the former foreign secretary, one of Labour's abstainers, threatening to table his own amendment for Monday's committee stage, Mr Clarke is certain to buckle.

As he and Tony Blair repeatedly attacked the Tories, they took Lib Dem complaints seriously in an effort to prevent Charles Kennedy's troops combining successfully against the bill with the Tories in the Lords - a tactic which failed by 316 votes to 216 in the Commons last night. <snip>

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/attacks/story/0,1320,1424139,00.html

[struggle4progress]

7. We must put safety before liberty, says Blair

By George Jones, Political Editor
(Filed: 24/02/2005)

Protecting Britain against a terrorist attack must take priority over civil liberties, Tony Blair states today. <snip>

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/02/24/nterr24.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/02/24/ixnewstop.html

[struggle4progress]

8. Presumed guilty without charge

By Philip Johnston, Home Affairs Editor
(Filed: 23/02/2005)

Charles Clarke, the Home Secretary, yesterday published Home Office papers detailing the continuing terrorist threat to Britain to try to justify his decision to take powers that no minister has possessed in peacetime.

Legislation laid before the Commons will allow the Home Secretary to curtail the activities of suspects - both British citizens and foreign nationals - by controlling where they live, work and the people they can meet. They will not be charged with a crime and may not even be aware of the evidence against them. <snip>

David Davis, the shadow home secretary, said: "The Government are introducing these powers in a climate not of a security emergency but in one of political emergency. These problems are of their own making and their solutions are unnecessary, unrealistic and undemocratic.

"The Bill removes, for the first time in modern times, the presumption of innocence of the accused. It also removes the right of the accused to see the evidence and charges against them.'' <snip>

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;sessionid=4NKCHXSWJ1AM5QFIQMFSM54AVCBQ0JVC?xml=/news/2005/02/23/nterr23.xml