'One hundred and sixty-seven years ago, a man who was soon to become a Conservative prime minister said: ‘The duty of an opposition is, very simply, to oppose everything and propose nothing.'

Of course, every opposition in recent history has grabbed the chance to cause trouble for the government by opposing everything that ministers put forward - even if it is right. But some issues are too important to be played with in this way. The decision this week on 42 days pre-charge detention is undoubtedly one of them ... '