Local Police and Terror Bill

12.17.01pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 15th Nov 2005

As in most other police areas, the borough commander (Chief Supt Edwards) approached the local MPs (Vincent Cable and Susan Kramer) to make representations on the 90 day clause in the Terrorist Bill. The direct involvement of senior police officers has now become a major political issue.

Vincent Cable said, however, that the saw nothing wrong with the police lobbying him and other MPs: "The approach I received was very professional and entirely proper. I was sent a paper from the head of the anti-terrorist squad at Scotland Yard and asked to study it, which I did. I was sympathetic to the police having more powers in a few exceptional cases and, therefore, voted for the 28 day limit. I don't think the case was every convincingly made for much longer periods, which the Prime Minister turned into a macho exercise and lost.

"The police have now been given double the period they used to have to detain terrorist suspects without charge and that represents a considerable extension of their powers."