Home Secretary announces 42 day pre-charge detention for terrorist suspects

This afternoon Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has announced plans to extend the period that terrorism suspects can be held without charge for up to 42 days.  Mrs Smith said 42 days would be needed only in "exceptional circumstances."
 
We have issued the following statement to the media.
 
Commenting on the announcement by the Home Secretary to extend the period that terrorism suspects can be held to 42 days, Jan Berry, Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, says:
 
“It’s interesting to see that this surprise announcement came just an hour before the Home Secretary snubbed 140,000 hard working police officers in England and Wales by refusing to honour a fair pay settlement.
 
“Whilst we support in principle an increase to the 28 day pre-charge detention period we have always maintained that any detention must be subject to strict judicial overview. Placing the decision into the hands of MPs, rather than the judiciary is inappropriate and further politicises the independence and impartiality of the criminal justice system process. This would set a dangerous precedent for what should be a fair, open and transparent process which must have the full confidence of the public.”