PC5: Terrorism Bill

[Brown (LAB)]

Mr. Carpenter's assertion that the Labour party is fine with our citizens and brave men and women in uniform being killed is absolutely reprehensible, irresponsible, and inaccurate. Mr. Carpenter should issue an immediate apology for this terrible, inflammatory statement. While it is natural that the Government and Opposition will disagree from time to time--although ultimately the leadership of both Government and Opposition agree that this bill must be withdrawn--there is no excuse for the rhetoric that he has employed. It is counter-productive for this important discussion, and he ought to be more careful about his word choices in the future.

[Henry Carpenter (CON)]

Mr Brown's argument would hold more water had his party sought to use our great parliamentary democracy to amend what they see as the defects in the legislation. They did not. Instead, they sought the option that brings the maximum short-term politcal advantage to themselves, rather than that which brings the maximum long-term security advantage to the country. In doing so, they have brought the powers closer to expiring. For shame!

[Alex Cardigan MP (LD)]

It is clear that to respond to growing guerrilla threats to our security, we need stronger legislation and stronger protections. I am not convinced that this legislation - especially in the utterly inept way it has been produced - is the right way forward. Northern Ireland is not Vietnam, and is not a war-zone - the route to peace is through consensus and disarmament, not perpetuating the cycle of brutality even more. We need a Government which listens to all communities in Northern Ireland, and also to security experts. This is not the legislation which experts support, and is not legislation which will see a reduction in tensions.

[Ruan Preston (LAB)]

Tory MPs are trying to draw away attention from this total fiasco by making false and frankly sickening claims about the Labour Party. Every death by terrorism and violence in our country is one too many. We do not wish to see the arrest powers and indeed much of the measures expire. What we resist is signing away these civil liberties permanently without proper justification. Make no mistake: we're talking about key components of the rule of law in this country. It's easy to stop extending a statutory instrument when peace has been restored; it is less so to repeal an entire Act of Parliament. I do not believe it is right for Britons to permanently have to live with such fundamental restriction of the rule of law until their government deigns to abolish them; rather, we as their representatives should be careful that in addressing their protection, we do what is necessary and no more. Terrorism is not and should never be normal. Neither are these measures. And that's why we must keep having this debate.

[Steve]

This cycle was a clear Labour win, with many of the Tory contributions getting caught up in the party's psychodrama rather than the issue. Henry Carpenter is probably the only Tory MP who makes a decent case for the Bill without getting caught up in all of that. But he's a lone sensible voice on that side against a very robust attack from the Shadow Home Secretary.

+2 XP for Ruan Preston, +1 XP for Henry Carpenter