Labour minister Tony McNulty has been telling the world today how Labour is serious about seeking cross-party consensus on detention without trial, saying (to use the words the BBC reported) that “This is too serious to leave to partisan politics”.
Sounds reasonable doesn’t it? One slight problem. We know from a leaked email I blogged about last year that this isn’t Gordon Brown’s view. That email – laying out Labour’s key messages for attacking the Liberal Democrats in the next general election – clearly told Labour Party activists to use the detention without trial issue to attack the Liberal Democrats. That sounds to me rather like partisan politics.
The BBC has also reported just how desparate the Government’s search for votes on the issue could be getting, lurching into using money to gain votes:
The government wants to secure the support of the nine Democratic Unionist Party MPs for its plans.
One possibility might be with offers of seats on the intelligence and security select committee.
Or it could be by ensuring income from the sale of surplus Army land in Northern Ireland stays locally, rather than going to the Treasury.
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4 Comments
If you get to the point where you have having to bribe DUP MPs to support an anti-terrorist legislation it might be worth a brief pause to reflect to what extend you’ve lost the plot.
I’m sorry that this post isn’t related to the article but I’m looking to be educated. Why haven’t the Lib Dems been targetting Tory voters by emphasizing the Crime proposals on their website?
It needs rewording in my opinion but some of the policies are great and would appeal to many voters.
It needs rewording slightly as I don’t think when it comes to stopping crime the word ‘Together’ should be used. Makes the party look weaker then needed.
Any-way very sorry, don’t know who to ask about all things Lib Dem.
Is it just possible Mark that times have changed? Opinions have changed? Old email is old news?
If Brown and/or Labour were saying two different things at the same time that might be news. To have said one thing last year and something else this isn’t.
Yours, opposed to 28 days.
aaah, the good old days when Labour governments were dependent on far right unionists for their support. It really is like the 1970’s all over again…
And Chris Paul, you are the saddest and least convincing Labour apologist on the blogosphere.