As soon as they formed a government the coalition started to dismantle the Labour government’s anti-terrorist policies. Gone was the ‘Prevent’ strategy, which was tackling the roots of extremism was ‘updated’ – that is weakened and funding was cut. Worse, control orders were dropped and weaker terrorism prevention and investigation measures introduced. Strong voices were raised against this, including Hazel Blears and Pat McFadden, but they were ignored. The Tories and the Lib Dems fetishised ‘civil liberties’ – it’s just it was the liberties of jihadists, not those of ordinary people.
The weakness showed itself first as a form of farce when a suspect escaped from the back door of a mosque dressed in a burqa. It turned deadly serious when it was revealed that the killers of Lee Rigby were known to intelligence services. We cannot know whether a Labour government could have prevented that savage murder but we do know that over 100 people are in jail in Britain today because they plotted terrorist acts that the police and security services disrupted. They were given the powers to do that – and only the Tories and the Liberal Democrats decided to deny the police more powers when they asked for them.
Playing politics with national security was bad enough, but then for the coalition to actively weaken the police and security services when they took power was so much worse – it was utterly reckless. We are living with the consequences: an estimated 500 British jihadists in Syria and Iraq – one of them involved in the brutal killing of James Foley. We are reaping the whirlwind – and we will pay a price for years to come. There are many reasons for the House of Commons to be recalled immediately – scrutiny of the appalling failure on national security comes close to the top.
Labour rightly suffered in the 80s for its appalling defence policies, we need to make sure that the Tories and the Liberal Democrats pay the full price for their betrayal of national security.
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Nearly a decade ago I spoke at a conference in Spain. It was partly organised by the youth wing of our sister party PSOE and was about the impact of new media – at that time mainly blogs and the blogosphere – on politics. We were in Cáceres in Extremadura and I started talking to local politicians. As I began to explain the situation in the United Kingdom they said ‘Oh, we know. Denis Macshane has just been here.’ I have had similar conversations all across Europe. Denis is that rarity in our party someone who is an internationalist, rather than someone who says they are.
He is also brilliant company and a great writer. When the courts turned on him savagely last year he went to prison well-prepared – he took a suitcase full of books with him. But he fell foul of the new Chris Grayling edict that there is nothing more dangerous in prison than free thinking, and his books were impounded. Not deterred, Denis decided that if he couldn’t read a book he could certainly write one. And now we have ‘Prison Diaries’ a brilliant account of Denis time in Belmarsh and Brixton. It is a great book, by turns analytic, personal and passionate. We get a strong sense of the absurdity of the prison system and its appalling failures. But throughout there is Denis’ characteristic humour. Here’s just one sample:
‘A prison is a bit like a party political conference – full of intensity, lies showing off, preening, seeking to dominate and conquer.’
A must read.
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John McTernan is former political secretary at 10 Downing Street and was director of communications for former prime minister of Australia Julia Gillard. He writes The Last Word column on Progress and tweets @johnmcternan
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Photo: Amanda Slater
This sneering at ‘civil liberty’ is the most appalling, dangerous nonsense. Civil liberties are absolute. If a suspected terrorist is not entitled to a fair and open trial, then no-one is. If ‘jihadists’ can be imprisoned without trial whenever the state decides to do so, then everyone is liable to arbitrary arrest, and no-one is free. I have little time for the many iniquities that the Coalition has inflicted on the people of Britain, but the single thing it can be applauded for is rolling back some of the abuses perpetrated by the last Labour administration. We must not let terrorists terrorize us into eroding the freedoms and rights which have been hard won over the centuries and which should be cherished and guarded by us all.
I agree with much of this excellent article. i would however question the act of the opposition last year relating to Syria and to its criticism of the Iraq war Everything I have read since from reputable Middle East commentators indicates that our failure to act in Syria is one of the reasons we are facing today’s crisis.
In my opinion, governments can only do so much. We have thrown vast amounts of public money at various Muslim groups and to no avail. I am tired of everyone saying the State should be doing more. We need to put the onus firmly on the communities these young people are from and more important families. If one of my children left home to holiday in Turkey, I would know what they were up to and not permit it. I would go so far as saying rather than have all these woolly ideas we should remove citizenship of those involved and those who knew what they were up to. We cannot control the internet – we take one site down and another appears. We can only do so much and it is not right to blame the government alone. What is the point of bringing back MPs? I follow many on twitter and I can tell you how the debate will go, who will vote for what etc etc.
As to Control Orders. i was under the impression that they were continually being challenged in the High Court and EU and many individuals had them removed. There have been judgements about individuals rights to know the charges against them etc etc. Control orders were continually being amended. There is no satisfactory order that can monitor individuals successfully. Indeed Liberty see no difference between the orders and are calling for them to be removed. I thought the counter terrorism panel that looked at the legislation took into account all the criticism from the Courts and the result was the introduction of TPIMS, indicated The police also say that the enhanced TPIMS are like control orders.
I have been appalled by all parties over recent years. We left Iraq too early and instead of stepping in as the situation deteriorated, we are anti war. Frightened of “putting boots on the ground” or airstrikes to wipe out the terrorists who are killing minority groups. I am ashamed and fed up hearing how great we are in providing humanitarian aid. A cop out. I have reread Tony Blairs speech on the Middle East and follow all his writings on the many terrorist groups operating in the Middle east and Africa. The government should bring him back as an adviser as he is the only person I know who is able to assess the various factions and who could make a decision regardless of how unpopular it may be. It will never happen. I am very ashamed to be British and can not rely on the US whilst Mr Obama holds office. In despair…..
Totally agree with rrgmitchell. Holby18 is delusional if he thinks that Party members would have Tony Blair any where near, giving advice on war and the Middle East or that they want to be involved in another war. As for feting the wonderful Denis McShane wtf – perhaps he can front our election campaign from his cell?
“Spain” in para 5? Methinks, there’s a possible similitude with Spanish civil unrest c.1930’s and historic/recent Middle East civil shenanigans c.-19/2000+ (whatever) when in both cases sympathisers boldly went (and go) where cowardly custards feared and fear to dip their dear little tippy-toe.
Has any bigwig spake up for a benign Caliphate yet. ‘Bout time they did. Let’s, of course, denounce the aberrant monstrosity plaguing present Arabia and trumpet and support, instead, the return of Ali Baba into all of Araby.