Lords meet to debate 42 day detention without charge.

The lords meet today to debate the Counter Terrorism Bill. Obviously the debate will be centred on the issue of extending detention without charge to 42 days. Lord Goldsmith (former attorney general) and Lord Falconer (former Lord Chancellor) are to lead the attack on the Bill that caused David Davis to resign his seat. In one way, David Davis is achieving his goal of getting the crucial matter of our dwindling liberty and freedom debated. The Lords debate on the Counter Terrorism Bill would not have received the media coverage it has without David kicking up a stink.

There is little doubt that the Lords will reject this terrible Bill. For one thing, Labour do not have a majority in the Lords. For another, the Lords are not as easy to buy as some corrupt Labour MPs, or the DUP. Lib Dem peer Lord Thomas will also argue against the Bill, he said:

"Holding someone without charge for 42 days adds nothing of value to the investigation, prosecution or conviction of terrorists. "The government's proposals do not have serious support amongst senior police officers, ex-government law officers, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the legal profession or indeed, anyone who knows anything about the criminal justice process. "Gordon Brown's clinging to the shreds of his discredited policy in the hope that he can pass off this ineffective and unprincipled stance as somehow 'tough' on terror. "This draconian proposal will be defeated in the House of Lords."

I think Lord Thomas hits the nail on the head. This 'rotten Bill' is not about fighting terrorism, it's all about Gordon Brown and Labour playing political with our fears.