Brown should back down or lose

9.00.00am GMT Sat 23rd Feb 2008

Commenting on the DODS-ICM poll showing 40 per cent of Labour MPs oppose longer detention without charge, Liberal Democrat shadow home secretary Chris Huhne said:

"Gordon Brown and Jacqui Smith look increasingly out on a limb with their proposals to increase detention without charge from 28 to 42 days. They would be well advised to think again before their lack of support becomes painfully obvious where it will hurt in parliament."

"They cannot point to a single case when even the security service has identified a need to go beyond 28 days, and this period is itself the longest of any comparable democracy with a common law system such as the United States, Canada and Australia. We must not become what we are fighting by giving in to illiberal demands for authoritarian measures, but must defend the benefits of an open society and the rule of law"