Today in Politics: Burying bad news on 42 days
As David Davis pointed out today, it was no coincidence that Jacqui Smith announced her retreat over 42-day detention for suspected terrorists at 8.30pm last night, knowing it would be drowned out in media terms by the £37bn bail out for the banks. Normally, the Government's crushing defeat in the House of Lords and ensuing climbdown would have been a mega story, not relegated to the inside pages of most of today's papers.
It's a pretty cynical exercise. And the Government can't even admit it was wrong to push 42 days, clinging to the figleaf of an emergency bill that will remain on the shelf in case it's needed after a terrorist attack.
The 42-day debate should be a lesson for Gordon Brown in how not to do politics. If he had started from "28 days plus" (ie extending the current limit) he might have achieved what he wanted. But the issue was clouded by Tony Blair's defeat over 90-day detention, and the suspicion that Brown was laying a trap for the Tories to portray them as "soft" on terrorism while looking "tough" himself. In the end, he was the one who got caught in the trap. As one minister told me: "We refused to drain the poison over 90 days from the system." No wonder the affair leaves a nasty taste.
Absolutely right. Like many journalists I'd flagged up the crushing Lords defeat at around 7pm and posed the question what happens next.
Ping pong was out of the question. Brown couldn't risk sticking to his guns nor could he lose face and throw in the towel.
I came to the conclusion there would be some sort of "fudge", leaving Brown to hide away in his bunker and hope it just went away.
Then Smith pops up much later with the odd bill but no bill solution. Totally bizarre - but Brown fudge won the day.
Brown was playing politics with people's civil liberties the first time round and he's done it again. It does indeed leave a nasty taste.
http://theorangepartyblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/42-days-later-fudge.html
Posted by: the orange party | Tuesday, 14 October 2008 at 10:07 AM
They've lost the plot. They are doing things without even knowing why.
# 42 days? Why? What would it achieve?
# Afghan War? Why? To achieve, err, what?
# Iraq War? Why? To suck-up to a US leader who steps down next month anyhow?
# ID Cards? Utterly discredited. They can't even safeguard the personal information they already hold. But New Drongos are pressing-ahead anyhow.
Perhaps Jacqui Smith - the worst Home Secretary since WW2 - should turn her attention to the Menezes trial? After all, the Chief Constable in whom she invested her complete confidence stands to emerge from it covered in ordure.
Posted by: Neil McGowan | Tuesday, 14 October 2008 at 10:45 AM
More cynical than ever - in the modest coverage left to the 42 day defeat under the overhang of the salvation of Western economy (if that's what it is) there has been very little media attention paid to the other ghastly provisions of this repulsive bill. Marcel Berlins correctly pointed out that the provision for arbitrary secret Inquests mean that in future, there won't be any Jean deMenezes type public inquests. Anything with the capacity to embarrass ministers will never see the light of day.
Do not expect anything from the newly-galvanised Broon and his spineless cohorts but more of the same.
Posted by: richard | Tuesday, 14 October 2008 at 02:34 PM