Shame on you Sadiq Khan!
Shame on you Khalid Mahmood!
Shame on you Mohammed Sarwar!
Shame on you Shahid Malik!
Everybody knows that the extension to pre-charge detention will mostly be used against Muslims, most of whom will be released without charge or prosecuted for a crime not related to terrorism. Everybody knows that these measure will do nothing to build community confidence, and the will to work with the police, in fact it will further alienate and marginalise young Muslims.
Perhaps these measures, as former Attorney General Lord Goldsmith said, would be used as justification for “misguided young men” to launch attacks. Those who followed the debate and read the arguments and counter arguments have generally commented that the case has not been made for the extension. Not it seems our Muslim MPs!
All four voted with the government, two at least against their conscience and principles. Were they bullied and coerced by the Whips? have they been promised promotions? or are they spineless men who are only concerned about themselves? David Davis (former Shadow Home Secretary) resigned over this issue. Now I am not a Conservative, but here is a man who if he had kept silent, put his head down and remained patient would have most likely found himself as the next Home Secretary, at which stage repeal the law.
But, no. This was a matter of principle, it is about our hard earned fundamental liberties, about 800 years of British history. David Davis said he entered politics for principles, the 32 ‘rebels’ from the labour party also felt that this was a matter of principle, I acknowledge their courageousness and bravery, I applaud their principled defence of our liberty and freedoms.
Maybe, our four Muslim MPs should take a lesson or two from the rebels within their own party, or even David Davis who left a high profile political position on a matter of principle. Muslims should lead on principled and just causes. They should exemplify courageousness, and make selfless decisions for the betterment of society. Shame on you!
Im surprised at Sadiq Khan. As the former chair of Human Rights group Liberty, this is sad. And after that whole prison bugging scandal I would have expected him of all people to make a stand regardless of what pressure the government might have placed on him.
Useful to bear in mind that Shahid Malik is a Junior Minister (Under-Secretary DFID) and Sadiq Khan an Assistant Government Whip (equal to Junior Minister).
In the case of Khan – he can hardly vote against, when is job is to make sure Labour MPs vote WITH the government! BOTH these ‘ministers’ are unpaid – what a humiliation.
Both of these must vote with the Government or resign – they choose to lick something unpleasant. As for Sarwar and Mahmood – they probably got favours in their constituencies.
HERE IS MR SADIQ KHAN’S RESPONSE!!
Dear friend,
The new weekly email has only been going for a fortnight and I’m already straying from the schedule, but I thought this was too important to wait until next week.
Before I was to parliament, I was a human rights lawyer. I represented people with complaints against the police and was chairperson of human rights charity Liberty .
As an MP, I appreciate I have to balance the rights of suspects against everyone’s safety and security. Terrorism attacks our most fundamental right: the right to life. Living and working in London , the people I represent are perhaps at particular risk.
So it’s a difficult balance to strike – and a subject that rightly arises strong opinions on both sides. My job is to listen to my constituents, do my best to influence the proposals and ultimately decide how to vote.
In 2005, I voted against Tony Blair’s proposal that pre-charge detention be extended to 90 days. I also proposed that the limit be set at 28 days, which became the current law.
To me, the key questions are: how much time is required by the police to obtain and consider the evidence before deciding whether someone should be charged or released? And what checks are in place to ensure that the power of detention is not abused?
It’s clear that terrorist operations are constantly increasing in complexity and scale. Just compare recent attacks and plots against say how the IRA operated in the 1970s. The use of modern technology to communicate securely across the world. The use of multiple languages and dialects. Operations being organised and directed on a global scale.
Obtaining and decrypting evidence has become more complex as the terrorist leaders try to stay ahead of our security services. As technology advances, this trend is going to continue.
This is not just the view of faceless security experts. The five most senior police officers in the UK agree. So does Lord Alex Carlile, the universally-respected Lib Dem peer who acts as the independent reviewer of how terrorism legislation is working.
I believe we need to respond to this challenge, but in a way that ensures any new powers are only used when truly justified. In my view, the original proposal from the government didn’t achieve this.
To their credit (and unlike in 2005) both the Prime Minister and Home Secretary have been genuinely attempting to reach a consensus among MPs, civil liberty groups and other interested parties. For example, last month I brought the Home Secretary to Tooting so she could discuss this issue with local community leaders.
I’ve spent a lot of time lobbying the government, resulting in a number of improvements to the legislation. I’m particularly pleased that the government has agreed to a compensation package for anyone released without charge after being detained for more than 28 days.
Taken together, the changes mean that the higher detention limit can only be used in exceptional circumstances. It will be temporary and subject to the approval of parliament and stringent judicial safeguards.
Bringing forward these proposals was never going to make the government more popular. So why did the Cabinet decide to do so? Simply put, because being in government brings responsibilities.
It’s much better to have this debate now, rather than rush something through parliament to help the police investigate a terrorist atrocity – or worse, when they are trying to foil an expected attack. Based on my background in human rights law, I judged that the final proposal contained sufficient safeguards. That is why I voted for this legislation.
Yours sincerely,
Sadiq
Yes Minister! Thank you for posting Sadiq’s response. I may still disagree with Sadiq’s decision to vote for the 42 day extension but the position he is in I can also understand why he choose to vote for it. I also single out Sadiq Khan from the other Muslim MPs (who ONLY seem to act on behalf of the whims and wishes of the government) and I still believe he is a principled man (and that reflects on the email I sent him, please see below) though I disagree with him on this occasion. I also salute David Davies for stepping down just like the late Robin Cook for resigning from the cabinet before the build-up to the Iraq war…Let us disagree with Sadiq Khan but let us not write him off totally!!
(Email to Sadiq Khan)
Dear Sadiq khan MP,
I write this quick email with some dismay and sadness to know that in parliament you have voted for the pre-charge detention for 42 days. Human rights and liberty groups all across the board are against this bill and almost half the commons rejected it, David Davies took a principled decision and has resigned from his post on the basis that this bill will erode our civil liberties, yet you as a former Human rights lawyer, who sat on MCB’s legal affairs committee decided to vote for this extension with three other Muslim MP’s. It really is disheartening to know this and you very well know that this will particularly (unfairly) target the Muslim community.
I have been to many of your presentations like the one organised by The Fabian Society and have followed comments about you. I do admire your position on many issues (against the Iraq War, against the initial 90 day detention, concern for Muslim sentiments, promoting Muslim integration) and I believe you are role model for Muslims in Britain. Many a times fringe elements within the Muslim community have condemned you for simply being an MP, I felt I had a moral obligation to support you and refute their primitive understandings or lack of, and I did.
However on this occasion I really do believe that you have made the wrong decision and I would greatly appreciate if you could reason with me, with the Muslims in Britain (who are really angry with you at this moment) the basis of your decision to vote for the pre-charge detention to 42 days? Was-salaam
The dark days continue to darken