Thursday, November 10, 2005
Newsnight last night was terribly excited about Tony Blair not getting the vote on detaining terorrist suspects for ninety days last night. Every time something doesn't go Bliar's way they seem ready to ask whether this signals the end for his leadership. Mathew Parris of The Times is ready to say Bliar will be gone in a year, obviously, we can all hope that but one defeat does not signal the immediate end of the Government, Major crawled on for many, many years when the Eurosceptics in the Conservative party started voting against him.
And the Bill yesterday was passed, Bliar was simply doing what he's done before, blowing up a key part of the legislation, in this case, ninety days for detention of suspects, but he's got everything else, the Mother of Parliaments has gone along with Bliar plans to make the UK one of the most restrictive democracies on the planet, so there are no winners here.
And talking of Blairs, what was Sir Ian Blair, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, doing, giving interviews backing the Government plans? His willingness to allow himself to become politicised is a bad sign, he's not supposed to work for the Government. Logically he should now resign, he wanted the power to hold suspects for ninety days, Parliament hasn't given it to him, therefore he can't do the job. However, I think we'll find he'll discover he can do his job quite well thank you very much. It's amazing what happens when you try.
Back at Newsnight, it was unfair of Jeremy Paxman to ask everyone who voted against the Government last night what they'd feel like if there was a terrorist attack today, especially when ninety days detention is completely irrelevent to fanatacists who want to kill themselves and others. They were unlikely to be thinking that if ninety days detention got passed they'd have to call their martyrdom plans off. It's a question better aimed at everyone who voted for the Government last night, everyone who was prepared to back plans that further alienate and radicalise sections of the Muslim community.
And the Bill yesterday was passed, Bliar was simply doing what he's done before, blowing up a key part of the legislation, in this case, ninety days for detention of suspects, but he's got everything else, the Mother of Parliaments has gone along with Bliar plans to make the UK one of the most restrictive democracies on the planet, so there are no winners here.
And talking of Blairs, what was Sir Ian Blair, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, doing, giving interviews backing the Government plans? His willingness to allow himself to become politicised is a bad sign, he's not supposed to work for the Government. Logically he should now resign, he wanted the power to hold suspects for ninety days, Parliament hasn't given it to him, therefore he can't do the job. However, I think we'll find he'll discover he can do his job quite well thank you very much. It's amazing what happens when you try.
Back at Newsnight, it was unfair of Jeremy Paxman to ask everyone who voted against the Government last night what they'd feel like if there was a terrorist attack today, especially when ninety days detention is completely irrelevent to fanatacists who want to kill themselves and others. They were unlikely to be thinking that if ninety days detention got passed they'd have to call their martyrdom plans off. It's a question better aimed at everyone who voted for the Government last night, everyone who was prepared to back plans that further alienate and radicalise sections of the Muslim community.
