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A good day for liberalism

January 20th, 2011 Posted in Civil Liberties, Liberal Democrats by

Well we haven’t had much good news in recent weeks. But today the Liberal Democrats did, when we heard that the Coalition Government is to bring 28 day detention to an end. Damian Green announced in parliament earlier today that  the order, which expires at midnight on Monday, will not be extended.

How unusual to find an “exceptional” piece of legislation, purportedly intended as a short term emergency measure, being removed (at last). And refreshing that a Government Minister goes on public record stating that Government powers should not interfere with the “hard-won civil liberties of the British people”‘!

Of course, the government has also slipped in the fact emergency legislation will be drafted up and put in the Commons library to extend the maximum period to 28 days – er just in case it’s needed. But I think that we can live with that.

Now to the more important issue of Control orders…. surely these have got to go too?

I suspect that the Lib Dems won’t get much credit for this. But whether they do or not, many must be chalking this one up as a win today. Nice one. Let’s hope Theresa May doesn’t spoil the party too much next week.

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