A panel of MPs and peers said they falsely claimed that terrorists were a 'threat to the life of the nation' ever since the 9/11 attacks. The Joint Committee on Human Rights concluded that the erosion of civil liberties has gone too far and demanded an overhaul of legislation like control orders, stop and search powers and rules that allow suspects to be detained for up to 28 days. They also urged ministers finally to axe the Bill that would allow detention without trial for 42 days. It was shelved two years ago. Labour peer Lord Dubs, a committee member, said: 'The state of emergency going on indefinitely is not the most sensible way. The Government has gone a bit far in a number of respects and there should be a sensible balance between the right to protect ourselves from terrorism and the rights of individuals. We accept that there is a serious threat but we think they have gone further than is sensible.' The committee demanded that intelligence chiefs testify in public about the scale of the threat. Lord Dubs said: 'We think the security services should be accountable to Parliament. They are in America. They are in other countries.' The Government was condemned in 2003 for scaring the public by sending armoured cars to Heathrow - a move seen as unlikely to stop an attack on a jet. (Daily Mail)
