Reid plea: ‘Less party politics’ over control orders
The home secretary said control orders will be reviewed in light of their latest failings.
However, in a move unlikely to appease critics, he has called for a solution that gives more concern for “national security”.
Criticising both the constraints imposed by parliament and the courts and the limitations of control orders he complained: “Under the existing laws control orders are as far as we can go.”
Mr Reid said human rights rulings have weakened control orders. He told MPs he will ask the House of Lords to consider other control order cases in respect of article five of the human rights act, which guarantees the right to liberty, pointing at a possible use of house arrest.
The home secretary also confirmed the government will publish a new counter-terrorism bill and called for cross-party support.
“I hope this time we can achieve a national consensus that puts national security above party politics,” he said.
Human rights group Liberty criticised the home secretary’s “blustering rhetoric”.
Director of Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti, said: “No one disputes that we live in difficult times. But with threats come opportunities.
“We look forward to a new prime minister and home secretary leading a cross-party non-party consensus that rejects blustering rhetoric for unity in bringing terror suspects to real British justice within the rule of law.”
Mr Reid was speaking after Scotland Yard took the unprecedented step of releasing the identities of three missing terror suspects under a control order.
Despite there being insufficient evidence to charge the men with a criminal offence, they were issued with control orders under the Terrorism Act and supposed to report regularly to a police station.
Opponents have long criticised control orders for creating a legal limbo which fails to fully satisfy human rights or security concerns.
Mr Reid insisted the government and police were doing “absolutely everything we can”, pointing to the “limitations” imposed by parliament, the courts and the law.
“I admit that sometimes it feels as though we are having to fight with one hand tied behind our back,” he said.
“I hope when we bring forward new proposals in the next few weeks that we will have a little less party politics and a little more support for national security.”
Mr Reid told the House of Commons there were “limitations and problems” associated with the legal framework and control orders are “far from being the best option”.
“I have consistently made clear that control orders are far from being the best option. They are not in my view the best or in my view even the second best option in tackling terrorist suspects.”
The Liberal Democrats said the latest failing justified a full-scale review of control orders.
Home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg said control orders provide a legal limbo, which is bad in itself and made worse when they are poorly enforced.
“This is another hammer blow for the increasingly discredited system of control orders,” he said.
Conservative shadow home secretary David Davis: “John Reid’s primary responsibility is the protection of the public.
“This consistent yet gravely dangerous failure to carry out that duty continues to threaten the safety of the public.”
In a written statement to the Commons Mr Reid said the three men did not pose a threat to the public and the control orders had been imposed to prevent them travelling abroad.
Meanwhile, the police are appealing for help to find Lamine Adams, 26, Ibrahim 20, Cerie Bullivant, 24, who have now been missing for more than 24 hours.
