Lords Scupper Terrorism Bill

I have been critical of the Lords over the years. They are after all an anachronism – unelected and therefore unaccountable. However, this week, I’ve been forced to reassess my position. The government’s anti terrorism bill was roundly defeated by the Lords – including Lord Irvine. This is fantastic news. But, I suppose, not surprising. After all, an anachronism dating back to the middle ages is likely to resist changes to our legal system also dating back to the middle ages. Habeas Corpus is something peculiarly British. When the Lords held the King accountable and forced him to sign the Magna Carta, they meant for those protections to mean something. Today, their descendants held onto that principle in the face of an authoritarian government that values nothing but its own wretched grasp on power.

Watching the BBC 6 o’Clock news, I saw that the Lords are digging in for a fight. They are looking for concessions on the sunset clause and, importantly, the burden of proof. Quite right too – the idea that someone can be detained on the “suspicion” of the Home Secretary is abhorrent.

So, well done to the Lords. And I wonder if Tony regrets not carrying through his promised reform of the Lords?