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Gordon Brown's 42 Day Terror Detention Bill Thrown out by House of Lords

by Christina 123 | October 13, 2008 at 12:11 pm

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Gordon Brown, Prime Minister, is today facing calls to drop his plans to detain suspected terrorists for up to six weeks as the Bill was thrown out by the peers of the Hosue of Lords by a resounding majoirty of 191.

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.

Former shadow home secretary David Davis, who resigned from the Commons over the measures, said they were designed not to fight terror but for political advantage.

He said: "It has been clear for some time that this proposal is based not on national security, but on party politics and the wise decision now is to let this unwise proposal drop.

"This would be in the interests of national security and civil liberties."