Police 'overstepped the mark' say Lib Dems

Charles Kennedy has criticised the police for their support of a Bill to allow the detention of terror suspects for 90 days without charge. Charles said that Sir Ian Blair, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, "overstepped the mark" in his endorsement of the controversial terror Bill.

Chief constables phoned, emailed and wrote to MPs to explain the rationale behind the proposal, which was initially requested by police in the wake of the July 7 bombings in London. Several senior officers appeared in the media to argue in favour of 90 days, while Sir Ian Blair came to Parliament to brief journalists on the issue.

Liberal Democrats were joined by most Tory MPs and 49 Labour rebels to vote down 90-day detention on Wednesday, and the Commons eventually approved a 28-day period in its place.

On BBC1's The Politics Show on Sunday, the Lib Dem leader said that Sir Ian should appear before a Commons select committee to explain what happened in the run-up to the vote. He said:

"When the chief of the Metropolitan Police takes such a high profile, as he did, over a specific amendment to a piece of government legislation, questions have to be asked. I think it's overstepping the mark."