Control orders set for shake-up
By politics.co.uk staff
Control orders will not be left unchanged, David Cameron has confirmed, as speculation continues to mount about the anti-terror measure’s future.
The coalition is currently in the throes of internal debate about how to treat the measure, which the Liberal Democrats have consistently opposed.
Earlier the Guardian newspaper claimed deputy prime minister Nick Clegg was considering abandoning his party’s opposition to the anti-terrorist measure after encountering strong opposition from Theresa May.
The prime minister offered Mr Clegg a way out on his visit to Leicester, where he told the BBC that both he and Mr Clegg were seeking a system “that keeps the country safe but that respects our freedoms”.
“We need a proper replacement and I’m confident we’ll agree one,” he said.
“It’s not about a victory for the Conservatives or the Liberal Democrats. It’s about trying to do the right thing for our country, for the security of our country and our civil liberties.”
The Lib Dems have seen little progress to win over the new home secretary that the civil liberties arguments against control orders are worth the price paid by Britain’s security.
The issue has been ongoing for months but is now coming to a head, with the prime minister’s spokesman stating yesterday that a final decision is due soon.
Control orders are a form of house arrest for terror suspects who have not been charged by police. Campaigners argue the severe curtailment they place on movement without a trial goes fundamentally against Britain’s habeas corpus tradition.
The Lib Dems faced huge pressure yesterday to drop their opposition, however, after former Labour and Conservative home secretaries made clear that they believe control orders must be kept.
A two-tier system of control orders, allowing some suspects freedom of movement in the UK but imposing an overseas travel ban, is being considering by Ms May, according to the Guardian.
