42 day rebels take on Brown
Labour rebels over Gordon Brown’s plans to increase pre-trial detention to 42 days have taken the fight to the prime minister after tabling a Commons amendment on the subject.
The amendment provides a good gauge of how strong the opposition to the 42-day period is. Several Labour backbenchers who supported Tony Blair’s plans for 90 days have signed the amendment, suggesting there is a strong chance of Mr Brown losing the vote.
Should that occur, his authority will have been fatally weakened just as he tried to bring his own party under control.
The amendment was tabled by David Winnick, who led opposition to the original 90 day plan.
Reports in the Guardian suggest chief whip Geoff Hoon is attempting to broker a deal on the issue involving greater parliamentary oversight and the need to demonstrate ‘exceptional need’ before the powers were activated.
