Detention Roulette
There is clearly vital and compelling evidence of the need to extend the maximum period of detention without charge to 90, no, 28, no, 56, no, 47 days, 4 hours, 18 minutes and 29.5 seconds.
No, let’s try that again.
There is clearly vital and compelling evidence of the need to extend the maximum period of detention. I hope MPs don’t rue the day they refuse to acknowledge the vital and compelling evidence of the need extend the maximum period of detention without charge to 90, no, 28…
Drat.
One more try.
There is clearly vital and compelling evidence of the need for Gordon Brown to be seen to be doing something.
And we’re off.
According to the Guardian:
There is evidence that Gordon Brown has not yet formed any strong personal opinion and he is said to remain “genuinely open-minded” on his preferred option.
Much as I’d like to be optimistic, this is probably a reference to Brown being genuinely open-minded on the length of the extension needed, not on whether one is needed at all.*
But it’s no wonder he hasn’t made up his mind yet; there are serious issues to be considered here. Would an extra 14 days be enough to convey the sense of a competent, trusted statesman dealing responsibly with a complicated issue? Would going for an extra 28 days so soon after the last doubling add a suggestion of gravitas and decisiveness or would it look Blairish and hysterical?
It’s not an easy call.
To pass the time while Gordon decides what’s needed, feel free to submit your guesses below. There won’t be any prizes if you get it right, I’m afraid, but on the plus side, participation is unlikely to lead to entrants being imprisoned without charge for up to three, no, one, no, two months.
Every cloud and all that.
* I’d be more than happy to be proved wrong.
sam_m said,
November 12, 2007 @ 8:35 am
The older members of the present Govt. began their political careers protesting the S.African Govt’s repression of its citizens. Now they seem hell bent on reproducing it. I don’t know it they think they are learning from history or repeating it.
But then, I knew Albie Sachs when he was able bodied.
Jherad said,
November 12, 2007 @ 10:30 am
How about ‘until found guilty’.
Rachel said,
November 12, 2007 @ 5:07 pm
If you want me to say anything about this when I am giving evidence on this very subject at the Home Affairs Select Committee then please shout me ( email or comments) and I will do my best to put people’s views across.