Government Defeated Over Terror Laws

10.00.00am GMT Thu 10th Nov 2005

Tony Blair Gets A Bloody Nose

Tony Blair and the Government have suffered a humiliating defeat over his plan to allow the police to detain suspected terrorists for up to 90 days without charge. Mr Blair's first Commons defeat since coming to power in 1997 was heavier than expected and provoked speculation at Westminster about how long he could remain Prime Minister.

After staking his authority on the police's request for greater detention powers Mr Blair sat grim-faced and shaking his head in the Commons as it was announced that the 90-day detention plan had been rejected by 322 votes to 291. A total of 49 Labour backbenchers joined the Tories and Liberal Democrats to reject the proposal in favour of a much lower 28 day limit. The Bill past its third reading this afternoon and has now moved to the House of Lords where it is expected to face a rough ride.

Yesterday was a good day for parliamentary democracy. It was the Prime Minister who chose to make this issue into one of confidence- and it's a bad day for his authority. This is now a chastened Prime Minister and this should lead to a reassertion of collective cabinet government. The government must come back and tell us what it is going to do. Tony Blair must realise that 35% of the vote in a General Election does not allow him to ride roughshod over democracy in the House of Commons. This is a humiliation for the Prime Minister, and a defeat for an increasingly authoritarian Government. Mr. Blair's refusal to reach a compromise with the opposition parties and his own backbenchers has led to this defeat.

All three of Wolverhampton's Labour MPs, of course, voted with the Government and refused the back the successful 28-day limit.