BBC News: MPs back ban on glorifying terror
MPs voted 315 to 277 to reinstate the plan for a new law to stop the glorifying of terrorism into the Terror Bill after last month in which the House of Lords voted to remove the measure form the bill.
Prime Minister Tony Blair said
Weakening our law on terrorism at this time from what is proposed will send the wrong signal out to the outside world and will do no service to those people in our police and law enforcement who are anxious to get on with the job of prosecuting people.
Since when has it been the role of government to send signals when creating legislation? Also in what way is not putting the glorifying terrorism measure into a bill weakening our law on terrorism? Maybe I’m just arguing semantics on this point but until the bill is made law the law on terrorism is unaffected by whatever happens to the bill in it’s passage through parliament.
Mr Blair earlier said the new law was “vital” to defend the UK against people like jailed cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri.
Okay so again Abu Hamza is mentioned by the Prime Minister even though he was convicted under existing laws.
We don’t need new laws we need better facility for prosecuting people under the existing laws. Allowing phone tap evidence to be used in court would be an excellent start. Perhaps now Abu Hamza has been imprisoned there will be less fodder for such knee-jerk reactions by the government to tabloid newspaper hysteria.
