House of Lords crushes 42 days proposal

The House of Lords has thrown out the proposal to extend the time suspects can be held without charge from 28 days to 42 days. An amendment to retain the present limit was carried by 309 votes to 118 - a majority of 191.

The amendment was proposed by a former Chief Constable, Lord Dear, who told the Lords that the proposal from the government was "fatally flawed".

Opening the debate, he said: "This attempt to appear tough on terrorism, I believe, is a shabby charade which is unworthy of a democratic process and we should reject it."

He said there was "no proven case" for changing the limit, that the legislation was "fatally flawed, ill thought-through and unnecessary" and would "further erode fundamental and legal rights that have been the pride of this country for centuries".

Later Home Secretary Jacqui Smith told MPs the 42-day plan would be dropped from the Counter Terrorism bill.

Let's hope common sense prevails and this bad idea has finally been killed

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