Counter-Terrorism Bill

Part of Points of Order – in the House of Commons at 8:30 pm on 13 October 2008.

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Photo of Jacqui Smith Jacqui Smith Home Secretary 8:30, 13 October 2008

I come to the House this evening to set out the Government's position on the Counter-Terrorism Bill. The provisions in this Bill have always been about protecting the British people—protecting them from the serious threat that we face from terrorism. My approach has always been to strike the right balance between protecting national security and safeguarding the liberty of the individual. That balance is a precious and delicate one, and it has meant, quite rightly, that our proposals on pre-charge detention have been the subject of intense parliamentary scrutiny. But, for me, there is no greater individual liberty than the liberty of individuals not to be blown up on British streets or in British skies.

We face a terrorist threat that is at the "severe end of severe", and we have proposed in this counter-terror Bill a way in which the police and prosecutors could apply to a judge to enable them to continue an investigation of a terrorist suspect in the most difficult, most complex and most challenging of circumstances. This House has voted in favour of a reserve power, which could be used only where there is a grave and exceptional terrorist threat— [Interruption.]

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barbara richards
Posted on 14 Oct 2008 10:51 am (Report this annotation)

You said - My approach has always been to strike the right balance between protecting national security and safeguarding the liberty of the individual.

Well how can that be? The liberty of the indicvidual has already been severely compromised. In 2005, 200 people were put into prison by the secret family courts. How on earth do you expect anyone to believe that you are striking any sort of balance when 200 ordinary people, not terrorists, can be locked up following secret trials?

I was almost one of those statistics. I was repeatedly threatened with imprisonment if I failed to force my son to visit the man who raped me 12 years ago. That is a disgusting way to treat a victim of rape!