Blair facing constitutional crisis
Tony Blair was today facing a looming constitutional crisis as the House of Lords again refused to give ground over the British government’s controversial anti-terrorism powers.
In an almost unprecedented all-night sitting of both Houses of Parliament, peers voted for a third time to re-instate a “sunset clause” into the Prevention of Terrorism Bill which would see it expire after one year.
The Bill will now go back to the Commons where ministers will have to decide whether to yet again throw out the Lords’ amendments triggering yet another round of parliamentary “ping pong”.
With both sides apparently unwilling to give way, it set the stage for the sitting to carry on through the day.
The debate raged as the eight remaining foreign terrorist suspects held under the existing anti-terror laws – which expire on Sunday – were preparing for their released under strict bail conditions.
They include Abu Qatada, the Palestinian-born cleric who has been described as Osama bin Laden’s “spiritual ambassador in Europe”.
