THE TIMEShttp://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,2001320011-2001325875,00.html
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 21 2001
Britain
Labour rebels demand debate on US response
BY TOM BALDWIN, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR

 TONY BLAIR faces a revolt from a clutch of former defence and foreign
ministers, as well as at least one member of his Cabinet, over his backing
for America's "war" against terrorism.

Clare Short, the International Development Secretary, repeated yesterday her
earlier criticism of President Bush's belligerent language as she called for
a "just resolution" of Palestinian grievances and an end to the bombing of
Iraq.

Her views were echoed by four former Labour ministers, all of whom said that
the party conference next month must have a full and free debate about
Britain's role in any military action and in US plans for a missile defence
system.

Peter Kilfoyle, who quit his job as a Defence Minister 18 months ago, told
The Times: "These atrocious acts have to be dealt with on the basis of
evidence and the rule of law. The US cannot start taking people out without
a proper trial. There is a danger that some of the evidence is being shaped
to fit a particular agenda. I do not want to see a blunt retributive act
which makes no distinction between who is innocent and guilty.

"These issues have to be debated and aired at the Labour Party conference
before actions are taken in our name. Having such a debate is a sign of a
democratic society's strength."

The open dissent will alarm Downing Street, which fears that any criticism
of President Bush from the governing party of America's closest ally will
shake Washington's confidence in a global coalition, or even prompt it to
take unilateral action.

Mr Kilfoyle said that the attacks on the US had shown the need for
international consensus, rather than the alienation of countries such as
Russia and China with missile defence proposals. He suggested there was
clear proof that any threat was more likely to be from terrorists armed with
pocket knives than from rogue states with nuclear missiles.

Doug Henderson, the former Armed Forces Minister, also believed that missile
defence would not work because a nuclear or biological attack was more
likely to come from a suitcase smuggled across a border. If the party
conference went ahead, "the focus must inevitably move from domestic
politics to a debate on how we contribute in a measured way to action
against international terrorism", he said. "We must choose our words
carefully. I don't want to say we are at war.

You do not kill terrorists with carpet-bombing and we must build up our
intelligence resources and our links with countries across the world."

Tony Lloyd, a former Foreign Office Minister, said: "If America has learnt
anything, it must be that the guarantee of security is through a global
alliance and not missile defence. We need to debate all this in Brighton
without being gagged. There is a strong mood in the party that we must not
attack the innocent."

John Battle, another former Foreign Office Minister, said: "I'm very
concerned. We need a carefully thought out strategy, but some of the
language being used at the moment is in danger of building international
conflicts into our own streets and neighbourhoods. It's essential that this
is discussed by Labour's conference and I'm sure it will be."

An international affairs debate is due to take place at the Brighton
conference on October 2 shortly before Mr Blair's speech. Labour officials
are understood to be considering rescheduling the debate.

Charles Clarke, party chairman, said yesterday: "I'm sure that there will be
a major debate at the conference about the best way of dealing with the
international situation."

Identity cards may be introduced on a voluntary basis in Britain as a
forerunner to making them compulsory, Geoff Hoon, the Defence Secretary,
said last night. In answer to the suggestion of identity cards on BBC 1's
Question Time, Mr Hoon said: "Certainly it is something that we will have to
look at again."

************************************************************************************
Distributed through Cyber-Society-Live [CSL]: CSL is a moderated discussion
list made up of people who are interested in the interdisciplinary academic
study of Cyber Society in all its manifestations.To join the list please visit:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/cyber-society-live.html
*************************************************************************************