Monday, 6 October 2008

Dead in the water

It seems certain that the 42 day detention issue is now dead in the water.

This morning's piece in the Times claimed that

Ministers admit privately that there is not “a cat in Hell’s chance” of the legislation, which returns to the Lords this week, being passed into law.
The Government has decided against using the Parliament Act to force the measure through after peers reject it, The Times has learnt. That decision will effectively confine the controversial proposal — which the Prime Minister fought tooth and nail to get through a Commons vote in June — to the legislative dustbin.


Whether the government has decided that one more battle in the current turmoil is just too much remains to be seen.It is almost certain that the Lords will reject it and the introduction of the parliament act would necessitate another vote in the Commons

According to Nick Robinson,

the official line is that the prime minister still believes in 42-days and that ministers will try to persuade the Lords to back him.That line will last only until the Lords kick the idea out. It is possible that some form of extended detention without trial may be revised and revived for Labour's next election manifesto


However this finishes up the government must surely look at the words of Andy Hayman who calls the proposals

not fit for purpose: they are bureaucratic, convoluted and unworkable

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