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21/11/2005
Terror bill faces Lords
The government’s anti-terror legislation is set to face another tough battle in the House of Lords.
The Conservative leader in the Lords, Lord Strathclyde, said that peers would examine the legislation on a “line-by-line” basis, while Liberal Democrat leader Lord McNally said that the Bill would receive a “thorough going over” in the Upper House.
The government was defeated in a Commons vote on plans to increase the maximum detention period for terror suspects to 90 days earlier this month. MPs rejected the proposal by 322 votes to 291, giving Tony Blair the first defeat of his Premiership. Instead, they voted in favour of increasing the maximum limit from 14 days to 28 days.
Commenting on the legislation, which was introduced after the July 7 bomb attacks in London, Lord Strathclyde said that the Bill was important, because it dealt with national security, but he said it was also controversial. He said: “There’s a tremendous responsibility on the House of Lords to look at this in a careful manner and that is what I expect to happen in the weeks ahead.”
However, on Sunday, Attorney General Lord Goldsmith said that the Bill was not “knee-jerk legislation”. He said: “The proposals in the Bill do not represent overnight panic in response to the July attacks on London, but are the culmination of proper policy development.”
Lord Goldmsith added that the danger came from a “knee-jerk reaction from the civil liberties lobby.”
(KMcA/SP)
The Conservative leader in the Lords, Lord Strathclyde, said that peers would examine the legislation on a “line-by-line” basis, while Liberal Democrat leader Lord McNally said that the Bill would receive a “thorough going over” in the Upper House.
The government was defeated in a Commons vote on plans to increase the maximum detention period for terror suspects to 90 days earlier this month. MPs rejected the proposal by 322 votes to 291, giving Tony Blair the first defeat of his Premiership. Instead, they voted in favour of increasing the maximum limit from 14 days to 28 days.
Commenting on the legislation, which was introduced after the July 7 bomb attacks in London, Lord Strathclyde said that the Bill was important, because it dealt with national security, but he said it was also controversial. He said: “There’s a tremendous responsibility on the House of Lords to look at this in a careful manner and that is what I expect to happen in the weeks ahead.”
However, on Sunday, Attorney General Lord Goldsmith said that the Bill was not “knee-jerk legislation”. He said: “The proposals in the Bill do not represent overnight panic in response to the July attacks on London, but are the culmination of proper policy development.”
Lord Goldmsith added that the danger came from a “knee-jerk reaction from the civil liberties lobby.”
(KMcA/SP)
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Terror Bill faces more opposition in House of Lords
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Terror Bill faces more opposition in House of Lords
The government's controversial Prevention of Terrorism Bill faces more opposition after the House of Lords voted for an amendment to the Bill. The peers voted 249 to 119 in favour of an amendment, which stated that judges should be responsible for issuing all control orders.
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Peer-To-MP 'Cool Off' Period
Constitutional reform, which would allow life peers to resign, will be amended to ensure former lords cannot stands as MPs for five years. According to reports, Justice Secretary Jack Straw, who is heading up Parliamentary changes, will introduce a "cooling off" period to ensure ex-lords cannot automatically contest a Commons seat.
19 March 2004
Hereditary peers win reprieve on Labour retreat
Labour's plans to remove the remaining hereditary peers from the House of Lords have been put on hold until after the next general election.
Hereditary peers win reprieve on Labour retreat
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