Lynne Featherstone

Interesting to see the former Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, is speaking out - again, but in much more strident terms this time - against Labour's proposals to introduce detention without trial for up to 42 days.

There's much I've disagreed with him on over the years, but he has it absolutely right when he says, "We start ourselves to destroy these values and the very basis of the free society which our ancestors fought hard to create if we readily give away critical liberties, such as the right we all have not to be arbitrarily held without charge."

Moreover - we've still not had a convincing case put that this 42 day proposal is actually needed. I fear it is becoming a game of political macho posturing - Gordon Brown's said he wants 42 days, so 42 days he must get - regardless of whether or not it is the right policy.