British Home Secretary Charles Clarke was in full retreat over crucial clauses of his terrorism bill on Wednesday night after members of parliament (MPs) across the political spectrum condemned them as misguided threats to Britain's historic liberties which would alienate the "hearts and minds" of minority communities instead of winning them over.
A succession of MPs warned Clarke that Cherie Booth, Prime Minister Tony Blair's wife, would have fallen foul of the proposed act for once saying that she could "well understand how decent Palestinians become suicide bombers," as would Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, for announcing plans to celebrate the centenary of the IRA's 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin.
Clarke denied that Cherie Blair would have been at risk, but conceded that someone would be liable for supporting a terrorist train bombing aimed at an autocratic regime -- Myanmar and Zimbabwe were cited -- where the likelihood existed that civilians might be killed or injured.
Before Wednesday's second reading debate the home secretary had already made substantial concessions on measures announced since the July 7 bombings in London. On Wednesday he indicated further willingness to concede ground after the opposition Liberal Democrats' home affairs spokesman, Mark Oaten, warned that the party would now accept no increase in the current maximum detention period -- 14 days against the proposed 90 -- and the Tories' David Davis hinted that he was hardening against it.
Labor MPs were tabling a 28-day compromise yesterday.
In Wednesday night's vote, which the government won by 472 to 94, the Conservative front bench backed the bill in principle, while promising to amend it in detail. Most Liberal Democrats joined leftwing and minor party rebels, leaving the government with a majority of 376.
During his 75-minute speech Clarke was adamant that Britain had pioneered many of the modern world's liberties -- embraced by the vast majority of immigrants -- but would have to "fight for democracy" using unprecedented means to defeat the "nihilistic" ambitions of Islamist terrorism.
But ministers have just two weeks to stitch up a series of compromises on the vital small print before a third reading around Nov. 13.
Meanwhile, Clarke and his French counterpart pledged yesterday to share information and experience combating terrorism as both countries worked to tighten their anti-terrorism legislation.
In a joint article published in yesterday's edition of the Paris-based daily Le Figaro, Clarke and French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy argued that "to better protect our fellow citizens and people residing peacefully in our countries, our laws must evolve."
At almost the same time as the British parliament was approving the second reading of the anti-terrorism bill on Wednesday, the French government was approving a package of anti-terrorism measures submitted by Sarkozy.
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