Blair reconsiders 90-day detention
The government is considering bringing back proposals to allow the detention of terror suspects for up to 90 days without being charged, Tony Blair has confirmed.
Although a bill on terrorism was absent from Queen’s speech, the prime minister said proposals on Britain’s counter-terror strategy would be published by Christmas.
And Mr Blair said the question of extending the detention time limit for terror suspects beyond 28 days would be included in these – making clear he still supported the idea.
The government was defeated in its attempt to introduce 90 day detention last year, and instead settled for the compromise of 28 days, up from 14 days previously.
But ministers, including Gordon Brown, have recently indicated their desire to return to this proposal, particularly in the wake of the terror alert at Heathrow this summer.
The Conservatives claim no data is available on how long terror suspects have been held since the new detention limit was introduced in July. And although ministers dispute this, the Tories say such evidence must be provided before any further extension.
In an interview for the Downing Street website today, Mr Blair said this would be the case – although the evidence presented by intelligence services in favour of 90-day detention last time was “clear” to him, he accepted many people did not share his views.
“We don’t want to get into the situation where this issue to do with 90 days is seen as piece of politics – it’s got to be seen as part of the protection of the country,” he said.
“If the evidence is there, we should do it, but it’s important and I think people want to see a strong evidential base for any laws that we are putting forward.”
He said ministers would “bring back” proposals based on an analysis of the events of the past few months, adding: “The issue to do with the number of days of detention will be part of that. We will look at it depending on the evidence.”
Mr Blair continued: “I’m not saying we won’t bring back the 90 days but all I’m saying is it’s important as far as possible that we proceed by consensus, and it is important also that we make sure anything we propose we give as solid an evidence basis as possible.”
However, Liberal Democrat leader Menzies Campbell said: “All the indications are that the prime minister has made the decision to bring back the 90-day detention proposals but is now looking for the evidence to justify it.
“Personal freedoms and individual liberties should not be dealt with in this way.”
