Liberal Democrats Slam Flaws in 90 Day Detention Argument

6.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 8th Nov 2005

Tony Blair has made a final appeal to MPs to back plans to allow police to hold terror suspects without charge for up to 90 days ahead of a knife-edge vote, due at 4:30pm tomorrow.

The Liberal Democrats, Conservatives, and a number of Labour MPs oppose the plans. Lib Dem Shadow Home Secretary Mark Oaten said, "Mr Blair has betrayed the words he spoke on 7th July when he declared that he would defend our values and way of life. Liberal Democrats oppose this measure because it means that innocent people could be locked up for 3 months, and because it will lead to the recruitment of more terrorists."

At Prime Minister's Questions Charles Kennedy asked the Prime Minister to acknowledge that as well as taking advice from police, he must "take into account the advice from the Law Lords such as Lord Steyn and Lord Lloyd of Berwick, who have described detention without charge for 90 days as 'exorbitant,' and 'unnecessary,' and as 'intolerable." The Prime Minister dismissed this, saying "whatever Lord Steyn may say, I'm afraid I prefer, yes I do, I prefer, the advice of the police."