Dale Reynolds
for Radio Left
London, England
9 November 2005
The Labour government's has suffered its first defeat in eight years
in a House of Commons vote. A proposed amendment to the Terror
Bill, to extend police authority to hold a terrorist suspect without
charge, from the current 14 days to 90 days, was defeated by a vote of 322
to 291 -- a 31-vote majority for those against the proposal (with about 50 MPs
absent).
The Conservative Party, who if in power would probably insist on
an even harsher elimination of the freedom and rights of terrorist
suspects, voted en masse against the government
amendment. Their leader, Michael Howard MP, cited all the virtues
of British liberty, freedom, justice, and fair play to minorities in his call to
reject Mr. Blair's change in the law.
Registering a genuine passage against this proposal was the Liberal
Democrats Party, along with 49 Labour rebels.
Both Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, and Gordon Brown, the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, were summoned to return from official trips abroad to
return and back Prime Minister Blair in the vote. Brown had to return
from Israel as soon as he landed there, and got in a hot temper about it,
according to one (tabloid) newspaper here.
It was not, however, a complete victory for justice or sanity. The Commons
then went into debate, and took a vote, on an alternative bill, which called for
an extension of 14 days to the current 14-day limit which police can exercise on
un-charged incarcerated suspects. The alternative bill passed, but only
by a 33-vote majority.
Provided this alternative amendment to the Terror Bill is not delayed by
the House of Lords, which can call for delay of its enactment while the
government "reconsiders" it, it will be possible in Tony Blair's
Britain to be arrested on suspicion of planning, executing, or aiding and
abetting or inspiring acts of terror and to be held for up to 28 days, on the
suspicion of a police officer. One such target would also be without recourse to
the legal help available to others being held, including for more provable
alleged crimes, "at her Majesty's pleasure."
Not for the first time, Conservative Party opposition leader Michael
Howard called for Blair to resign, as his authority is obviously eroding.
Media pundits from all quarters, too, asked the Prime Minister and/or his
spokespeople if he felt his days as PM were virtually numbered. Blair, in his
typical style, said he was here to stay and that, in this instance, it was
"worth losing a fight because I'd done the right thing."
Blair added that the Commons vote simply indicated that a majority of MPs
are wrong about this added measure in the fight against terror.
Blair is quick to emphasis, every chance he gets, that it was not his
government's idea to propose the extension of incarceration without charge to 90
days for terrorist suspects. It was the idea of the Chiefs of Police
Association, a reaction made by these law enforcement authorities on July 9,
2005, two days after the London terrorist bombings which killed over 50 people
and created an anxious nation.
So far the police chiefs have stuck to their guns on this proposal.
However, not being able to admit to making a blunder, and not being able to
turn away in an opposite direction from that blunder and blaming others,
instead, for one's failure, hastened the downfall of another British Prime
Minister, Margaret Thatcher. She was removed from power by her own party.
Blair, as the media have pointed out here, has some contentious moments
ahead, but not until Christmas and early Spring of next year. He faces
opposition within his own ranks again on bills concerning changes the
government wants to make regarding the National Health Service and Education, in
particular.
It's said on this island that there have been many who have
predicted the end of Tony Blair's political life (at least as Prime Minister),
but it's also been said that these reports have been greatly exaggerated.
Prime Minister Blair had never lost a vote in the House of Commons, until today.
Although the 90-day incarceration extension amendment to the Terror Bill (being
updated from the 1984 bill, which was enacted to try to fight the IRA) was
not regarded as a Vote of Confidence on the Prime Minister (the result of which
would have called for his replacement, or even a fresh election), this is
the most dramatic defeat for Blair and the future looks nothing
like certain for anyone who, in particular, continues to champion military
actions in Iraq.
Dale Reynolds,
London
