Brown faces civil liberties challenge

One of the defining factors of Brown's premiership will be his actions with regard to civil liberties. It could be a make or break situation for the new leader, as many of the parties supporters are steadfastly against the ninety day detention plans. A fear of the return of internment lies at the heart of the worries, with civil liberties campaigners focusing on the well known threat that is the slippery slope. However necessary Brown feels the move to be, however, he is keen to gain the support of the Guardian-reading middle classes. He has proposed a new system of seven day judicial reviews to make sure that suspects are not being held without reason, and to check up on collation of evidence. Mr Brown wants to make sure he is

"tough in the security measures that are necessary to prevent terrorist incidents in this country"

whilst at the same time maintaining the proper legal requirements. Phone tapping has also been a major subject of debate. Brown reputably plans to call the Tories in to have a cross party discussion. The Lib Dems may also be allowed to attend, so long as they serve the tea and biscuits. The use of phone-tap evidence in court is an especially controversial subject at present, with all the implications it could have relating to personal privacy. The Liberal Democrat spokesman Nick Clegg apparently chose to follow the traditional liberal path of congratulating Brown for his successes whilst at the same time condemning him for things he has yet to even hold a position on, never mind implement.

"It now remains to be seen whether this is just a procedural fig-leaf for more authoritarian measures or part of a genuine shift in guaranteeing and not undermining our fundamental civil liberties."

To me this seems like absolutely meaningless rubbish, worthy of a pat on the back for a good imagination if nothing else. It comes across as more slimy than Cameron's face, throwing the words 'authoritarian' and 'undermining' around for no real purpose other than to remind the listener that there is a third party and they are the party of opposition- opposition to everything. It's times like this that the Lib Dems remind me of the small minded guy who draws attention to himself by doing nothing more than endlessly pointing the finger at everyone else. A little pathetic, but then what do you expect?

The Tories maintained their position of opposition, although some sources suggest that if the political wind suddenly starts blowing the other way Cameron will U-turn like the wind-vein he is. Four of the Labour Deputy candidates- Hain, Harman, Blears and Benn have come out in favour of the ninety day detention. The independent reviewer of anti-terror legislation, Lord Carlile (LibDem), welcomed the cross-party talks. I wonder whether he will be popular at the LibDem peers next meeting. David Davis was uncharacteristically off-put by the announcement, being upset not to be included in the loop.

"It is extraordinary that the chancellor has chosen to publicise these proposals five days before the home secretary announces his counter-terrorism plans in Parliament. It does not auger well for cross-party attempts to build a consensus for counter-terrorism measures which the whole country needs to get behind."

I am sure Mr. Davis will recover well enough to think of a violent rebuttal.