28-day detention ‘to join the scrapheap’
By Peter Wozniak
The power to detain terrorism suspects for 28 days without charge may be a thing of the past in a matter of months.
A report in the Independent newspaper suggests the controversial legislation, emblematic of the counter-terrorism approach of the Blair premiership, is being considered for the scrapheap.
The move would be met with elation from civil liberties campaigners, who have long argued against the draconian laws that allow detention without any formal charge if the police suspect involvement in terrorism.
Mr Blair had previously argued for a 90-days detention, though the watered down figure of 28 days still became a beacon for what was perceived as a rapid erosion of civil liberties during the New Labour years.
There has been no official confirmation of the Home Office’s plans, and it is unclear how the legislation will change, with a 14-day limit being mooted as a replacement.
Opponents of scrapping the law argue that the police will be unable to effectively tackle terrorism and the safety of the British public would be compromised.
Prior to 2000, the longest police could hold a suspect without charge was 24 hours, which Labour repeatedly attempted to raise to 90 days and 48 days, in the face of bitter and increasing parliamentary opposition which saw both of those figures abandoned.
Theresa May is conducting a thorough review of all anti-terror legislation, which includes the 28 days limit, and the use of control orders. She renewed the limit in June, postponing a final decision until the end of this year.
