Brown to strengthen terror stance

Sunday, 3 June 2007 12:00 AM

The chancellor and prime minister in-waiting Gordon Brown has signalled his intent to get tougher on anti-terror legislation.

Proposals incorporated in Mr Brown's plans include allowing police to question suspects without charge for longer then the current 28-day period and reviewing the law banning the use of phone-tap evidence in court.

In addition, allowing courts to consider links to terrorism as an aggravating factor in sentencing has also been mentioned.

Legislation to extend police powers of holding alleged terror suspects to 90 days was defeated in parliament two years ago and a new move to extend this period could prove divisive.

Mr Brown said: "The methods by which you have to track down terrorism are going to have to change.

"You are going to have to be far more sophisticated, investigations will take longer. That's why I support, for terrorist suspects, post-questioning interviewing.

"That's why we will need to strengthen the policing resources available."

The chancellor added that while he supported extending powers to fight terrorism, he was mindful of civil liberties and the need to "strengthen" the accountability of parliament and the authorities.

Mr Brown was speaking at hustings for the deputy leadership in Glasgow and a candidate for the position, party chair Hazel Blears, said she supported the chancellor's plans.

"We need to have powers to deal with it [terrorism]," Ms Blears said. "Absolutely, I think it's the right thing to do."

Liberal Democrat peer Lord Carlile of Berriew, an independent reviewer of anti-terrorism legislation, told Sky News that he also welcomed a move to form a cross-party consensus.

"I do think it is time for the political parties to get together and to try to reach a consensus with the government, so we can move forward on terrorism legislation on the basis of fitness for purpose, rather than having a hot political debate about these desperately difficult and important matters," he said.

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