42-days voted down

42-days dropped

Tuesday, 14, Oct 2008 12:00

Plans to detain terrorist suspects for up to 42-days have been dropped by the government.

The House of Lords roundly rejected the measure yesterday, in line with expectations.

Rumours that Mr Brown was unwilling to use the Parliament Act to force the plan through the second chamber were corroborated yesterday when home secretary Jacqui Smith said the plan would be framed in a separate one-page piece of legislation, which could be rushed through parliament in an emergency.

Peers will continue to debate other sections of the counter-terrorism bill over the next few days, with plans for jury-less inquests expected to come under particular fire.

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