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Europe's human rights watchdog is to deliver a scathing report on the UK government's conduct of the war on terror, threatening to re-ignite a debate the government hoped it had put to rest until after the general election expected in May.

The 50-page report by Alvaro Gil-Robles, commissioner for human rights at the Council of Europe, is thought to conclude that the UK's standards on human rights have declined since the Labour party came to power in 1997, with criticism extending to its handling of asylum seekers, young offenders and overcrowded prisons.

During his visit to the UK in November, Mr Gil-Robles openly criticised the government's anti-terrorism legislation, arguing that he was against “emergency” laws being deployed in a way that had not been tried elsewhere in Europe. His report is due to be handed to the UK Foreign Office this week, ushering in what could be a period of intense political haggling about the timing of its release.

According to established convention, governments that are the subject of a country report by the Commission are given the opportunity to respond and argue for changes to the report before it is made public.

It is generally accepted that reports should not coincide with a pre-election period in the country concerned, on the grounds that the role of the commissioner is technical and legalistic rather than political.

But Mr Gil-Robles is understood to be reluctant to brook significant alterations to the text of his report. He is also aiming to release publicly a final version on or around April 20, when the election campaign is likely to be in full swing ahead of an expected May 5 poll.

EU officials believe the government may try to delay publication of the report until after the election. The move is likely to be resisted by Mr Gil-Robles on the grounds that he has already put back the publication date originally pencilled in for late January or early February to accommodate the protracted parliamentary debate over the UK's controversial new anti-terror legislation. The legislation was passed this month.

The stand-off between the Houses of Lords and Commons and between the opposition and the government was triggered by a response from Charles Clarke, home secretary, to the December ruling by the law lords that the existing anti-terrorism measures, detaining suspects in prison without trial, breached human rights.

The law limiting the liberty of suspected terrorists without trial through control orders came into effect two weeks ago only after Tony Blair, prime minister, made a crucial concession to opposition demands by offering a new bill by next spring.

In a sign that the Liberal Democrats, the second biggest opposition party, are determined to make the government's human rights record an issue, Mark Oaten, home affairs spokesman, on Wednesday put forward eight parliamentary questions on control orders aimed at forcing the government to break its silence on the subject.

As the FT revealed this month, the Home Office has decided to withhold information about further control orders despite indications from within Whitehall that dozens could be issued in the lead-up to the general election on security grounds.

 

Europe's human rights watchdog is to deliver a scathing report on the UK government's conduct of the war on terror, threatening to re-ignite a debate the government hoped it had put to rest until after the general election expected in May.

The 50-page report by Alvaro Gil-Robles, commissioner for human rights at the Council of Europe, is thought to conclude that the UK's standards on human rights have declined since the Labour party came to power in 1997, with criticism extending to its handling of asylum seekers, young offenders and overcrowded prisons.

During his visit to the UK in November, Mr Gil-Robles openly criticised the government's anti-terrorism legislation, arguing that he was against “emergency” laws being deployed in a way that had not been tried elsewhere in Europe. His report is due to be handed to the UK Foreign Office this week, ushering in what could be a period of intense political haggling about the timing of its release.

According to established convention, governments that are the subject of a country report by the Commission are given the opportunity to respond and argue for changes to the report before it is made public.

It is generally accepted that reports should not coincide with a pre-election period in the country concerned, on the grounds that the role of the commissioner is technical and legalistic rather than political.

But Mr Gil-Robles is understood to be reluctant to brook significant alterations to the text of his report. He is also aiming to release publicly a final version on or around April 20, when the election campaign is likely to be in full swing ahead of an expected May 5 poll.

EU officials believe the government may try to delay publication of the report until after the election. The move is likely to be resisted by Mr Gil-Robles on the grounds that he has already put back the publication date originally pencilled in for late January or early February to accommodate the protracted parliamentary debate over the UK's controversial new anti-terror legislation. The legislation was passed this month.

The stand-off between the Houses of Lords and Commons and between the opposition and the government was triggered by a response from Charles Clarke, home secretary, to the December ruling by the law lords that the existing anti-terrorism measures, detaining suspects in prison without trial, breached human rights.

The law limiting the liberty of suspected terrorists without trial through control orders came into effect two weeks ago only after Tony Blair, prime minister, made a crucial concession to opposition demands by offering a new bill by next spring.

In a sign that the Liberal Democrats, the second biggest opposition party, are determined to make the government's human rights record an issue, Mark Oaten, home affairs spokesman, on Wednesday put forward eight parliamentary questions on control orders aimed at forcing the government to break its silence on the subject.

As the FT revealed this month, the Home Office has decided to withhold information about further control orders despite indications from within Whitehall that dozens could be issued in the lead-up to the general election on security grounds.

 

 

 

 

Europe's human rights watchdog is to deliver a scathing report on the UK government's conduct of the war on terror, threatening to re-ignite a debate the government hoped it had put to rest until after the general election expected in May.

The 50-page report by Alvaro Gil-Robles, commissioner for human rights at the Council of Europe, is thought to conclude that the UK's standards on human rights have declined since the Labour party came to power in 1997, with criticism extending to its handling of asylum seekers, young offenders and overcrowded prisons.

During his visit to the UK in November, Mr Gil-Robles openly criticised the government's anti-terrorism legislation, arguing that he was against “emergency” laws being deployed in a way that had not been tried elsewhere in Europe. His report is due to be handed to the UK Foreign Office this week, ushering in what could be a period of intense political haggling about the timing of its release.

According to established convention, governments that are the subject of a country report by the Commission are given the opportunity to respond and argue for changes to the report before it is made public.

It is generally accepted that reports should not coincide with a pre-election period in the country concerned, on the grounds that the role of the commissioner is technical and legalistic rather than political.

But Mr Gil-Robles is understood to be reluctant to brook significant alterations to the text of his report. He is also aiming to release publicly a final version on or around April 20, when the election campaign is likely to be in full swing ahead of an expected May 5 poll.

EU officials believe the government may try to delay publication of the report until after the election. The move is likely to be resisted by Mr Gil-Robles on the grounds that he has already put back the publication date originally pencilled in for late January or early February to accommodate the protracted parliamentary debate over the UK's controversial new anti-terror legislation. The legislation was passed this month.

The stand-off between the Houses of Lords and Commons and between the opposition and the government was triggered by a response from Charles Clarke, home secretary, to the December ruling by the law lords that the existing anti-terrorism measures, detaining suspects in prison without trial, breached human rights.

The law limiting the liberty of suspected terrorists without trial through control orders came into effect two weeks ago only after Tony Blair, prime minister, made a crucial concession to opposition demands by offering a new bill by next spring.

In a sign that the Liberal Democrats, the second biggest opposition party, are determined to make the government's human rights record an issue, Mark Oaten, home affairs spokesman, on Wednesday put forward eight parliamentary questions on control orders aimed at forcing the government to break its silence on the subject.

As the FT revealed this month, the Home Office has decided to withhold information about further control orders despite indications from within Whitehall that dozens could be issued in the lead-up to the general election on security grounds.