Brown's terror detention plans in tatters

Prime Minister Gordon Brown faced calls to drop controversial plans to allow the detention of terror suspects for up to six weeks after the Government was roundly defeated in the House of Lords.

Peers issued a devastating blow to proposals that would increase pre-charge detention to 42 days from the current 28, rejecting them by a thumping majority of 191.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was due to make an unscheduled statement to Parliament as ministers face having to decide whether to try to push the Counter Terrorism Bill through with the Parliament Act - or walking away humiliated.

The government is tonight expected to tear up its plans to detain terrorism suspects for up to 42 days without charge after peers overwhelmingly rejected the proposal.

Jacqui Smith, the home secretary, is due to make a Commons statement at 8.30pm when it is thought she will announce plans to drop the specific proposal on detention without charge but retain the substantive part of the government's counter-terror bill.

The move comes after the House of Lords backed an amendment to block the detention plans by 309 to 118, a majority of 191, during the committee stage of the bill.

However, in a face-saving measure the government will publish separate legislation on 42 days that they will hold in abeyance in case it is ever needed.

Although a government defeat had been widely predicted, the scale of the rebellion will be seen as a huge victory for civil liberties campaigners and will have made Smith wary of trying to force the measure through the Commons again.