UK's Brown defends terrorism plans, rebellion brews (Reuters)

2008.06.02 - Terrorism - Source: - Comments [0]

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Monday he would stick to his principles over plans to detain terrorism suspects for longer prior to being charged despite the prospect of a humiliating defeat in parliament.

With a rebellion rumbling in the ranks of his ruling Labour Party and threatening Brown's faltering leadership, the prime minister said a plan to allow detention of suspects for up to 42 days without charge was the "right thing" to do "to protect the security of all and the liberties of each."

Brown, whose Labour Party lost a safe parliamentary seat last month and was beaten into third place in local elections, does not have to call a national election until 2010, when he hopes the economy will have had time to recover.

His poll ratings have fallen in recent months, wiping away the political "honeymoon" he enjoyed after taking over from former prime minister Tony Blair almost a year ago.

As many as 50 Labour parliamentarians are thought to be ready to vote against Brown's 42-day detention plan when it comes to the vote next week.

The plans, which would extend the 28-day pre-charge detention limit, were attacked by the government's former top lawyer, ex-attorney-general Lord Goldsmith, who described them as a "very serious incursion on our fundamental freedoms."

Interior Minister Jacqui Smith was scheduled to meet the parliamentary party later on Monday to try to persuade them to fall into line behind Brown.

NATIONAL SECURITY

Writing in The Times newspaper, Brown said he would not give ground.

"Some have argued that I should drop or significantly water down the 42-day limit," he wrote. "But having considered carefully all the evidence ... I believe that ... allowing up to 42 days' pre-charge detention in these exceptional terrorist cases is the right way to protect national security."

Political analysts say Brown will be fighting for his political life over the next two months and may struggle to survive as party leader into the summer parliamentary recess.

Most commentators recognize that it is most likely to be the economy -- an area where Brown won a good reputation for competence during his 10 years as finance minister under Blair -- which is crucial to Brown's future.

The British economy grew at its slowest pace in three years in the first quarter of 2008 and inflation is forecast to rise near to 4 percent, limiting the central bank's scope for interest rate cuts.

News on Monday that Britain's largest buy-to-let mortgage lender has run into financial difficulties in a global credit squeeze which has already contributed to the collapse of one major British bank was likely to darken the scene further.

And Brown's opinion poll ratings have shadowed the economic decline. A YouGov poll in last Friday's Telegraph newspaper put Labour 14 points behind in popularity, with 23 percent support versus 47 percent for the main opposition Conservative Party.

(Editing by Peter Millership)

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