PM to entire party: 'agree with me on terror'

28 days or 42? That's the big question, isn't it? Just how long has Gordon Brown got left in office?

Ah, we're just being cruel. Maybe Gord is actually learning lessons from his disastrous reign as Prime Minister so far. He does seem to have become a more communicative sort, after all, what with the recent revelation that he likes nothing better than phoning random voters. He's also taken to scribbling down his thoughts and handing them to Mr. Postman too, as demonstrated by the fact that he has written to every single Labour MP regarding the upcoming terror detention vote.

The proposal - to extend the length of time that terror suspects can be held without charge - is pretty much the hottest potato in the Commons canteen right now, and one that may inspire over 30 Labour backbenchers to defy the party line and stamp a big old 'no' on proceedings.

How, then, has Gordon gone about trying to persuade them otherwise? By saying the following:

"In the legislation currently before Parliament, we have done everything in our power to protect the civil liberties of the individual against any arbitrary treatment, because in Britain liberty is, and remains, at the centre of our constitutional settlement. The challenge has been to make sure that, through proper judicial and parliamentary oversight, we both keep the public free from the threat to our security, and secure the fundamental liberties of the citizen."

We'll find out how effective this approach has been on Wednesday. Assuming we all haven't been blown up by then.

Written by C J Davies on 7 Jun 2008 10:05 PM. Permalink