Cheers Peers; Lords reject terror bill

The Government has suffered a welcome set back in its attempts to increase its own powers to commit injustices and abuse. Peers today voted to reject plans to allow Ministers to issue control orders rather than having to go through the courts (and judicial process).

Peers overwhelmingly defeated this key piece of "anti-terror" legislation by 249 to 119. Unfortunately MPs will get another bite of the cherry on Wednesday, but the government is extremely weak on its own benches when it comes to this legislation and almost suffered a defeat on the issue the last time the house debated this.

This legislation was put forward when the lords ruled that the government's detention without trial was unlawful in December and existing legislation expires later this month. Unfortunately this is not the end of UK's layers of unjust laws, rules and practises - but it is a welcome moment of hesitation in the steam roller rush to obliterate our civil liberties.

Peers inflict terror bill defeat (BBC)

Peers defeat anti-terror bill (Guardian)

March 2005