42-days: 1st test of Labour Party unity?

Peter Kenyon Mon Oct 06, 2008 at 03:05:37 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

MPs returned to Westminster today and already rumours are circulating about the 42-day detention provision of the Counter Terrorism Bill. I am not up to speed on the precise timetabling of remaining Parliamentary business. But I am aware this could be the first test of the Labour Party's new found unity.




On the one hand there are the stories of Nick Brown's (re-)appointment as Chief Whip threatening tighter control on backbench MPs, on the other is the appointment of Jon Trickett as the PM's PPS. I am presuming Jon will be saying in private: Prime Minister, we need to drop this. (Yes, I know he voted for the provision at 3rd reading in the Commons. But there are lots of MPs who vote for a government policy against their better judgment.)

We have got to focus on the economy. If that wasn't screamingly obvious, a quick look at the FTSE 100 today (down over 5%) is a salutary reminder. We are not going to get the economy moving again wasting political capital on a theoretical possibility that even law officers, the police and the security services can't agree on. Government can maintain its concern on the record, so that in the event of the need for longer powers of detention emergency legilsation can be put before the House. And we can all get on flushing out the next issue that government ministers have set their hearts on without thinking through the political ramifications thoroughly in the context of Labour values.



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42-days: 1st test of Labour Party unity? | 13 comments (13 topical)

Re: 42-days: 1st test of Labour Party unity? (#1)

by lastword on Mon Oct 06, 2008 at 05:42:52 PM GMT

The House of Lords will throw this in the dustbin.  Let's hope Brown is sensible enough to leave it there.


Re: 42-days: 1st test of Labour Party unity? (#2)

by Peter Kenyon on Mon Oct 06, 2008 at 05:55:17 PM GMT

Dear lastword

The House of Lords will throw this in the dustbin.

I hope our great leader has got the political savvy not to give them the pleasure. There are much more potent battles to have with their Lordships to warm the electorate towards abolition of the 'other place' and establishment of an elected second chamber.

Peter Kenyon

http://petergkenyon.typepad.com


[ Parent ]

Re: 42-days: 1st test of Labour Party unity? (#3)

by lastword on Mon Oct 06, 2008 at 06:19:41 PM GMT

Eelected chamber or no elected chamber this policy should be thrown out.  I really don't care which house does so!


[ Parent ]

Re: 42-days: 1st test of Labour Party unity? (#7)

by NorthernMonkey on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 03:28:34 AM GMT

Yep, I agree. Time to give this one up Gordon.


[ Parent ]

Re: 42-days: 1st test of Labour Party unity? (#4)

by DevonChap on Mon Oct 06, 2008 at 07:38:11 PM GMT

If doubt Gordon's ability to et this through teh Commons to over-ride the Lords if it comes to it. The majority was 9, since then 3 seats will have changed hands, (I assuming Glenrothes is a loss) and even more bigwigs have come out against it. So starting with a notional majority of 4 at best all it takes is 3 waiving MPs to cross over and Brown takes another huge hit to his credibility.

Leaving it looks weak since he gave so much capital before but taking it further looks worse.


Re: 42-days: 1st test of Labour Party unity? (#5)

by Peter Kenyon on Mon Oct 06, 2008 at 09:10:48 PM GMT

Dear DevonChap

Rather than weakness, leaving the need for 42-day detention as a possibility to be addressed in the event of a complex alleged terrorist plot would be greeted with relief, and could as readily strengthen the PM and Labour's standing.

I presume we are agreed the collapse of confidence in financial markets represents a much greater threat to our society than terrorist plotting. Our political leaders need to focus.

 


Re: 42-days: 1st test of Labour Party unity? (#8)

by DevonChap on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 09:02:57 AM GMT

Yes there are other pressing problems now but the Prime Minister made this such a priority before the summer. He said it was essential for our security and he put so much political capital into it that dropping it now justs exposes it as the empty political gesture with national security that it always was.

If it was crucial despite the economic crisis terrorism hasn't gone away and Brown would be prepared to put this to the Lords and use the Parliament act to get it through and risk defeat.

So either he isn't prepared to go down to defeat for what he believes or he never really believed it was needed and he was playing politics. Neither shows him in a good light.


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Re: 42-days: 1st test of Labour Party unity? (#6)

by LabourMatters on Mon Oct 06, 2008 at 10:42:53 PM GMT

I wonder whether 42-days, or even 90-days as previously attempted, would have been granted if we hadn't tried indefinite imprisonment without charge before it was (rightly) ruled illegal?


Re: 42-days: 1st test of Labour Party unity? (#9)

by swatantra on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 09:58:30 AM GMT

Pressing ahead with 42 days is a no-brainer. The Govt would be in a lose-lose situation. Surey they've got better things to do to occupy their time before the next GE?


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Re: 42-days: 1st test of Labour Party unity? (#10)

by Peter Kenyon on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 10:16:35 AM GMT

Dear Swatantra

Surely they've got better things to do to occupy their time before the next GE?

One would have thought so. The problem is that the PMOS is still trotting out yesterday's line:

http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page17101

 

 

 


[ Parent ]

Re: 42-days: 1st test of Labour Party unity? (#11)

by adwilliams134 on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 10:20:32 AM GMT

This is dead in the water (and good riddance).  Brown has been told by his advisers (06 Oct) that this is facing a 3 figure defeat in the Lords and that a substantial number of Labour Peers will vote against.  he has also been told that to invoke the Parliament Act and force it through would be suicidal and very probably start an open and very public civil war in his own party.

Luckily for him it isn't making the news because of the credit crunch. Likewise,  the Glenrothes defeat-in-the-making will be hidden behind the US Presdidential elections.


Re: 42-days: 1st test of Labour Party unity? (#12)

by LabourMatters on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 08:35:34 PM GMT

I wouldn't write off Glenrothes quite yet.


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Re: 42-days: 1st test of Labour Party unity? (#13)

by adwilliams134 on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 09:00:25 PM GMT

A win for Labour at Glenrothes is not good enough,  they have to win convincingly.  Anything less will be seen as a 'defeat'


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42-days: 1st test of Labour Party unity? | 13 comments (13 topical)