Ex-Attorney General "not persuaded" of case for terror detention extension

3.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 22nd Nov 2007

Gordon Brown

Former Attorney General Lord Goldsmith, giving evidence to a committee of MPs, said he was "not persuaded" of the need to extend detention beyond 28 days. And he said he would have resigned had Tony Blair's government succeeded with their attempts at 90 day detention. Giving evidence to the same committee, the director of public prosecutions said he will not be pressing the Government for the current 28 day limit for holding suspects to be extended. Sir Ken MacDonald said prosecutors had "managed comfortably" with 28 day detention.

Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Nick Clegg said "Lord Goldsmith has blown the Government's cover. When their most senior law officer for much of the last 10 years says he is unpersuaded by the case to extend detention without charge then the hollowness of the Government's case is there for all to see."