Control orders must go, say Liberal Democrats

5.15.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 23rd Feb 2007

Nick Clegg MP

The Liberal Democrats have voted against the extension of control orders when the Commons debated their renewal. Writing in today's Guardian, Lib Dem Shadow Home Secretary Nick Clegg explains that the party want the orders, which can range from tagging to virtual house arrest, repealed and replaced by a package of new measures to strengthen our ability to prosecute terror suspects in court.

Nick Clegg, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson "Instead of holding suspects for extended periods without charge, we need to consider ways to bring charges more rapidly in the first place. We should make it easier for prosecutors to bring charges against terror suspects where evidence has not yet been fully produced but there is a good prospect that it will. We should re-examine the circumstances in which the police can question suspects after charge. A way to introduce phone-tap evidence in court must be found. And we should use plea-bargaining more actively to encourage so-called supergrasses to give evidence against more serious criminals."