Wednesday 11 June 2008

42 days – The politics of fear

The saddest thing about tonight's vote on extending the time a person can be detained, without charge, is that it appeared to have the support of much of the British public. These are presumably the same people who believe if you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to worry about; people who naively believe that a government always acts in the best interests of the people.

This is not a vote that will enhance our security, more a propaganda victory for extremist groups who have now managed to curtail our liberties by proxy. It is based on specious evidence and didn't even command the support of the Scottish Lord Advocate, Elish Angiolini, who shares the view of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the former Attorney General Lord Goldsmith "that the requirement for an extension to the current 28 days is not supported by prosecution experience to date."

This vote is not an act of strength but of fear.

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