10p tax U-turn strengthens terror bill rebels’ hand

The U-turn over the 10p tax rebellion has strengthened the rebels who are opposed to the extension of detention without charge for terrorist suspects from 28 to 42 days.
The rebellion threatened against this clause in the anti-terror bill is far bigger than the 39 Labour MPs led by Frank Field who forced Gordon Brown into retreat on the10p tax rate.
The Government whips have identified 50Labour MPs who may vote against the Government and a further 40 who are undecided.With most of the Tories and the Liberal Democrats also opposed there is no way that Home Secretary Jacqui Smith can win the vote, but she and Brown are doggedly ploughing ahead with it anyway, refusing to accept the inevitable, just as the Prime Minister did on the 10p tax issue.
The Tories were leaked the black list drawn up by the Government whips under Geoff 'Buff' Hoon of the likely rebels and have been circulating it at Westminster. It shows a total of six Government aides identified by question marks as potential rebels in addition to Quintin Davies, the Tory defector who has been advising the Government on measures to show more respect for injured army veterans.
It says David Drew 'appears persuadable, wants to chat to Jacqui though'; Frank Doran 'has many problems with it'; Bill Etherington is 'against 28 days - could be persuaded to stay away'; and Roger Godsiff is written off as 'hopeless'. That might be an apt description for Brown's handling of his Parliamentary Party.
No wonder some of the rebels are speculating that Gordon has become a masochist who enjoys the pain of being beaten.

THE MOLE: TERROR BILL

FIRST POSTED APRIL 23, 2008