42 days is dead

I've just heard that a government whip has let it be known that 42 days is dead. The spin being that the government is only focused on the financial crisis and will not let anything else distract the government from its central mission.

This fits with Nick Robinson's post the other day. The BBC political editor said that the PM has been told that he faces a heavy defeat in the Lords (possibly on Monday) and that it would be political suicide to invoke the Parliament Act. Robinson also wrote: "A clear sign that the game's up came in the reshuffle when two of the ministers most closely involved were moved -Tony McNulty's left the home office to go to DWP and Baroness Ashton is leaving the Lords front bench to replace Peter Mandelson in Brussels. "

It is interesting to see how the government is going to spin its humiliating retreat - PM still believes in 42 days detention without charge but the focus is on the economy.

I'm sorry, this is absolute bullsh*t! Brown has argued that 42 days is vital in our fight against terrorism. I disagree with him but let's take him at his word for the moment. If it's so vital, why is he prepared to let it drop? As for the focus on the economy, can our government not multi-task? What is more important than the security of the British people?

The truth is that Brown knows he can't get the legislation through the Lords and does not have the political authority to use the Parliament Act. The "focusing on the economy" line is a load of crap.

I'm looking forward to the Lords giving Brown and the Labour government a bloody nose on this issue... they deserve it!!!