What a grubby little country we have become.

Kevin, Leeds,

Once again Gordon Brown has arrogantly gone ahead with a proposal that goes against averything that we are fighting for in the fight against terrorism. If he can't see that point he should not be PM of the UK. The freedoms that we enjoy have been very hard to come by and are so easily lost.

T. Green, Oxford, UK

The MP's that supported this measure are a disgrace. They are only supporting the terrorists. It is a very sad day for the UK. My grandfather who fought in the second world war and was a Dunkirk vetran would turn in his grave. Freedoms and liberties thrown away like "disposables".

Graham E Darwood, London, UK

Looks like the DUP will rue the day they voted for this: One Tory whip said: “We won’t forget this.” Expect Northern Ireland to lose their preferential treatment under the Barnett Funding Formula when the Conservatives come to power.

Stephen, St. Ives, England

Graeme: "Can you not see it will only be used for investigating terrorist cells,not your average citizen!!"

And that's it, isn't it? It's unlikely to be you who suffers so you're happy to see a travesty of justice like this. What about the innocents who may be caught up in this?

David Jones, Loughborough, UK

I feel ashamed to be English

-millions of kids living in poverty
-3rd world health service
-terror laws used to follow people who fill their bin too full

and now this...lock people up without charge/trial.

Mr Mugabe is probably looking on with envy.

Clive, Surrey,

A disgrace to the memory of those who have fought and died for Freedom. Never again will I or should any one trust those that have taken our Freedom.

Mark, Gateshead, tyne wear

First Scottish votes are used to pass laws in England now Ulster Unionists
It is a sad travesty

Prudence Eely Bond McG uire, London, England UK.

To the above- this law applies to the whole of the UK, not just England. It is not a travesty.

Colin Samson, Belfast, UK

A shameful day in British politics - but don't you just love the irony that an unelected chamber will now be able to strike down this bill a) because it is not government policy and b) because Labour bottled Lords reform. As for the DUP - enjoy your 30 pieces of silver - principles ? not hardly !

Tony , Cardiff,

So, not only are our freedoms eroded further; the government appears to have done so at the expense of treasury revenue at a time when the countries finances could only be described as precarious.

John, Chester, UK

At least £200 million pounds to save face.

Mr Brown will bankrupt the country

Mike, Gravesend, England

A sad day for British politics and a terrible day for British traditions of freedom and liberty. Thank you Gordon Brown for making this happen.

David Amerland, Gatley, UK, Cheshire

I fully agree with Bill Rees, Truro. This bill is about public security in the midst of real threat of modern terrorism, and that which the world has never seen or witnessed. I presume most of the bloggers are die-hard Cameron supporters and cannot see beyond their narrow political world.

Tonye, O, Dalgety Bay, Fife, United Kingdom

Voting against concience is despicable and political deals can result in unforseen results. Something similar with NI mp's resulted in partition of Ireland. We know how many lifes and billions this cost us. Just think if one of your family or you were detained for 6 weeks with no knowledge of them

bill, cornwall,

A total travesty. N Ireland made it through the troubles with far less than this. The DUP are total lying scum - they said they refused to speak to the IRA until the ceasefire - more rot. They were speaking to them for years throughout the troubles. Shouldn't be surpised at their two faces now.

Lainey, Newtownards, N Ireland,

What has Great Britain - the mother of all human rights and democracy - come to? A pathetic mirage of American imperialism? GB is not great anymore.

Hans de Koning, LEIDERDORP, Netherlands

Terrorism "The greatest threat to this country ever known" What a laugh! Just who is behind these terrorists and why? It really is time there was a totally independent inquiry into 9/11 and 7/7 and maybe it will wake up some of these gullible people defending this or any other government.

Billy Carlin, Paisley, Scotland

When can we get rid of this inept and corrupt government?! I can't wait another 2/3 years.

Rod, London,

How much will it cost to buy off the remainder of the Magna Carter?

Mike, Gravesend, England

Anyone who says the House of Lords is undemocratic and should be abolished may want to reconsider that. They are our only hope now (unless the Queen refuses to sign up, highly unlikely) against an authoritarian and now rather grubby government, reduced to bribing unprincipled NI Unionists. Sad.

Bob Reeve, Brighton,

The real terror is this bill being passed. We may have more bombs; there may be more tragedy. However, this reaction by the British government plays exactly into the hands of those they're trying to contain: perpetuating fear and, worst still, eroding precious civil liberties gained over centuries.

Martyn Fitzgerald, London, UK

This law will save innocent lives.Brown was right in pushing it thru .The public wanted it passed.They want security and not to be murdered by terrorists.
Murdering people is nothing to do with this hyped human rights issue.

Bill Rees, Truro, Cornwall

a few years no one could ver imagine being held for 28 days with charge! now its 42 days, watch this space... soon they will move to hold you indefinatley.... this is one of the most tyranical of all systems, how dare they criticise other countires for how they treat thier own people!

MM, Manchester, UK

Even when he wins (just) Gordon Brown still manages to look like he's lost.

I wonder why this unenforceable legislation wasn't deemed neccessary during the 70's/80's when Britain was under a serious and *sustained* terrorist attack from the IRA.

Richard, Nottingham, UK.

The best way to take control over a people and control them
utterly is to take a little of their freedom at a time, to erode
rights by a thousand tiny and almost imperceptible
reductions. In this way the people will not see those rights
and freedoms being removed until past the point at which
these changes cannot be reversed - Adolf Hitler


Clearly a man who knew something on the subject of freedom.

G Brittain, Baku,

Over the past ten years, New Labour has made the State a far greater threat to our freedom than any supposed terrorist organisation. Fear not, though. Come the next general election, our revenge on this pathetic government will be swift and damning.

DC, Newcastle,

I'm inexplicably angry about this. Much more than I would have expected. All I see is Gordon having to win his argument, at any cost; an argument that never made sense in the first place. I've had enough now, Gordon and Labour have lost my vote. I'm ashamed of you.

Simon, High Wycombe, UK

The Lords will reject it and so it will not go through this parliament. Parliament will then force it through. by which time there will be an election, Labour will lose and the Tory's will remove it from statute. It is amazing that we are looking to DC to save liberty.

D Fielding, egham, surrey

A bad law passed for bad reasons from a bad government. Any MP (including my own - Anne McGuire) that voted for this should be disgusted with themselves. They aren't worthy of being in Parliament.

Rose, Stirling, UK

It is clear that the Scottish Prime Minister and Irish MPs have no interest in maintaining ancient English freedoms when they can throw them over in exchange for saving their political skin and paying their water bill.

Sheila Jones, Evesham, Worcs, UK

Why on earth does Gordon think this will save him? Nice to see Austin saving this old ruin for the nation! Perhaps G should be stuffed?.... though he seems to have done a perfectly good job of that all on his own! Congrats to Labour rebels for their vain attempt to save the Party.

Matt, London, UK

Gordon has to go this man is luntic running out country in to the ground with his deluisons of grandure and once more we have forigen mps required to push laws thought in england, IT is time to end the union, and go back to being just plain old ENGLAND!

MR W Jones, Liverpool, England

I suspect there are a lot of very angry people in England this morning, I just hope that in the coming difficult times the government can keep them fed and warm,and entertained, if not all bets are off.

Eddy, Bury St.Edmunds, uk

Thats rich cleggy:
"Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, said that it was a sad day for British liberties and a victory of pork-barrel politics over principle. “What we have seen is the sacrifice of principle in order to save the skin of a sinking Prime Minister,” he said."
Some of us remember

Dave, London, England

we have already seen how terrorism laws are used against the normal citezens of this country , the old man dragged out of the Labour conference, councils spying on parents, ect, ect.
Do you really think that none of this will be used against ordinary citezens.
POLICE STATE. remember these words.

Dave, London, England

What a disgrace our Politicians have become. Giving in to the threat of terrorism. Thank the Lord these lot weren't in charge during the Blitz. They would have waved the white flag. Shows you what cowards are running the country. A disgrace to the memory of all those who have died for freedom.

Mark, Gateshead, tyne wear

While we are in the process of eradicating new Labour from the political landscape, perhaps the good people of Northern Ireland might consider doing the same to the DUP ?

New Labour: Tough on freedom, tough on the causes of freedom.

Brian Drury, London Colney, England

It is not 30p or 3,000 pound. It is 30 pieces of silver. Now we have joined George Bush and suspended the rule of law.

SLC, hants, u.k

a sad day. the terrorists are winning the war without even firing a shot.

Phil Barnes, preston , england

It is ludicrous to throw in our faces the belief that the general public back the PM and his Party.
After all the public is also in favour of Capital punishment if one is to believe the opinion polls!
First Scottish votes are used to pass laws in England now Ulster Unionists
It is a sad travesty

Prudence Eely Bond McG uire, London, England UK.

I watched the end of this debate and what summed it up for me was the grotesque sight of Tony McNulty sitting behind Jaqui Smith chewing gum and looking like some thug at a football match. He clearly doesn't know any better or doesn't care.

Simon, Chatham, Kent

Now what? Are we to see advertisements: WANTED: Suspected Terrorists. Good overtime rates.

Emergency powers already exist for extending the period of detention. This is how a failing prime minister abuses our civil liberties in an attempt to gain support for himself with MPs betraying themselves.

Rodney Barker, Gainsborough, England UK

Words cannot express the contempt I have for the people who did this.

We can no longer count ourselves a civilized nation.

"New Labour: repealing Magna Carta one line at a time.
Because 800 years of freedom is quite long enough".

Steve McKee, Dunblane,

So, David Cameron, will you now give a firm unconditional guarantee that you will repeal this law when you come to power?

You, the people, voted in New Labour. Now at least have the brains to ask what the next government might do.

Niels, Zug, Switzerland

When the history of England is written, let it never be forgotten that it was the Labour party, the so-called party of the people, that when faced with a choice between liberty and expediency did willfully, deliberately and systematically snuff out in a decade liberties that had stood for 800 years.

Mark, London, UK

I cannot understand those people commenting here who actually believe 42 days detention is warranted, I can only assume they are buying into the propaganda of 'national security' and 'war on terrorism', they are therefore happy to wave their civil rights goodbye for their own perceived safety.

Les Corrin, Southport, England

In the event of a 9/11 attrocity, we could have the military and the police enforcing security., rounding up suspects, sympathisers and their email/telephone contacts. 28 days may result in some weak charges being made and some individuals being put under surveillance. War doesn't last 42 days.

Nick London, Bexley, UK

Graeme -

"Can you not see it will only be used for investigating terrorist cells,not your average citizen!!"

- Yeah, like the surveillance orders which have been used to snoop on families who may live out of a school catchment area.

Not your *average* citizens, they.

Peter Harris, Edinburgh,

The reason why terrorism will now flourish in our'green and pleasant land'is simple.
Our moral compass has been destroyed.
No longer can we regard ourselves as the 'good guys'
as we are on the same level as the people who would destroy our way of life and take our lives without a backward glance

Prudence Eely Bond McG uire, London, England UK.

I can't understand how MPs could vote against their concience on as critical a matter as this! Do they actually have conciences? A sad day for democracy; a disasterous day for liberty.

I'm glad I got out to a civilised country while I could and I'd recommend it to anyone who values their freedom

Edd Bullen, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

When the Lord's throw it out he will no doubt invoke the parliament act to force it through. There is obviously severe abuse of the act planned for Brown to have been so desperate to get it through the commons.

Richard, Kendal, UK

Austin mitchell is my MP (not that i voted for him) and his logic for ripping up magna carter is to prolong whats left of gordon browns premiership, even though he wanted to vote against it on principle.
SHAME
shame on the DUP as well for being bribed so easily.

will, grimsby, england

Gordon Brown should be ashamed of himself, playing politics with our civil liberty's. Roll on England's Guantanamo, I suppose it's progress that the UK is copying Americas mistakes after 5 years rather than the traditional 10.

Peter, B Stortford,

We probably need 42 days just so that we, the public, can pay even more for the delightful privilege of holding these individuals whilst the authorities bungle about for a bit longer. No doubt we'll then provide them all legal aid to sue the authorities afterwards. Labour and Gordon...you're history

Giles, Surrey,

"Can you not see it will only be used for investigating terrorist cells,not your average citizen!!"

Do you not read? Local councils have already been using anti-terror legislation to put families under surveillance, to see if they are cheating with their school admission applications

WS, Manchester,

To Graeme of London thats exactly what I'm saying since when has the security and police service set how long we should hold someone with out trial. The only countries that do I don't want to live in ie Iran or ZIB. And this comes from a life long supporter of Labour and until today of GB

Greg, Bristol,

I am not surprised. Labour have eroded family values, created a punative tax system so hardworking individuals pay for the lazy and now they have decided to erode our freedoms which in no small part is due to a failure of Labour's imigration policy.

steve tea, manchester, cheshire

The parliament act should be reformed. Surely if the Lords reject an act three times it must be radical. The commons shouldn't just be able to invoke the parliament act to push it through! I think it would be much more democratic to put the act to a referendum in these rare cases.

Will, London, UK

Whats all this erosion of 'civil liberties' nonsense? I consider myself an ordinary citizen and i don't think my civil liberties have been eroded - I feel safer. Isn't it time we started to care for the majority and not the minority?

Mark, London,

Generally, a decent Tory would support this Bill. Is this the best the new look Tories can do? Such a cynical power play.
Disgusting ! And these people want to rule the country?
Find a bona fide issue to defeat the hapless PM .
Meantime, please support the forces of law and order.

Jo Geoghegan, Brisbane, Australia

One small step forward for Gordon, One giant leap backwards for Britain.

Mind you if they keep losing top secret documents on trains and sensitive computer discs in the post it's no wonder they need 42 days to sort themselves out.

John Goode, Welwyn Garden City, UK

I am an OAP and life long Tory supporter. I am very dissappointed with my Party. I favour strong action against terrorists and major criminals. The Conservatives have taken a weak position and have demoralised many of their friends preferring the dishonesty of party politics over common sense.

ALAN CHAPMAN, BINGLEY, UK

What a disgraceful episode, Labour MPs trading their consciences for bribes and being gutless cowards, a low point indeed for Parliament and liberty. I was willing to give Brown a chance to prove he could be different to Blair, however for all his early talk he's shown he's unprincipled and clueless

Jon Underwood, Edinburgh, UK

It is not often my eyes weep for democracy within the UK. But tonight what credibilty can there be for those who really believe in civil liberty. NI DUP you no longer exist to defend it; Labout Party members who voted for 42 days are no longer scialists. God help you all. I despair of a free Britain

Jonahan T-M, Malta,

I support the bill and, for the first time in several years, am pleased with the labour government. I thought that the opposition to te bill by the Conservative Party was political opportunism at its worst. The majoity of people in the UK supprt this bill. The Tories should remember that.

simon, London,

Internment without trial. So much for freedom and the British way of life.

Gordon Brown, you are a disgrace to the office you hold.

Peter , London,

Magna Carta was desecrated on 9 November 2005 when the process began to detain a person for 28 days without charge. Today we have seen that perversion of justice being extended to 42 days. No wonder that many people are leaving this beautiful country to freedom elsewhere. I despair.

Hugh Bonsey, Salisbury, UK

This is a sad day for both british politics and civil liberties. There is little else to say

Matt Bryson, London,

Brown's "victory" is nothing but an opening shot that's cost much energy. Now watch the real victory. That'll be the resounding rejection by the House of Lords. It's time Brown packed his bags. Who explains what point there is in the Government investing time and effort in a lost cause like this?

Bert, London,

This is unworkable due to the compromises. We need 40 days more than the US? This is internment? Silly anyway you release someone after 28 days if he has any sense he flees or better still leads you to his comrades. It's not needed from any angle. Preparing evidence being a sad excuse. Tough on...

jonathan da silva, feltham, middx

graeme, london, uk

You mean like the RIPA powers were only used to fight terrorism such as hecklers at the Labour conference and local councils checking up on fly tippers and your address. God man, open your eyes. This WILL be abused it's only a question of how soon it happens.

John, Reading, uk

Why the need for 42 days, who knows?.

From my understanding the former period of detention under the POT Act was limited to 28 days. I can only recall the 28 days being used on 2 occasions in the past.

The same question arises why then the need for 42 days?.

pete, birmingham, uk

Magna Carta is dead! Long Live Magna Carta!

Phil Austin, RAUNDS, England

Civil Liberties in the UK are being violated everyday that Brits live in fear of further terrorist attacks. Muslims who do not agree with the 42-day detention should ensure that no Muslim in the UK is involved in terrorism in any way, shape, or form to prove that this is unnecessary.

Douglas Cochrane, Halifax,

90 days next - watch this space. The arguments for this legislation was about the threat from al queda terrorism although it could apply to every citizen in the UK. This is creeping state control by Gordon Brown on an unprecedented scale.

mike lincoln, wakefield,

i am astounded by the simple minded and short sighted people who are writing on this page. Are you suggesting that we should ignore the advice of our security services who recomend the need for 42 days. Can you not see it will only be used for investigating terrorist cells,not your average citizen!!

graeme, london, uk

It is easy to see how the tables might be reversed, if the Conservatives were in power with David Cameron holding the responsibility for facing down one of the greatest threats this country has ever known. Usually it is the left who oppose increases in government powers relating to law & order.

Nick, Charlotte, USA

"Isn’t it clear that terrorists want to destroy our freedom, and when we trash our liberties, we do their work for them?"

Could not have put it better myself.

Chris, Cambridge,

the ravaged fingernails cling to power for more painful weeks.

Neil McF, Southampton, England

A disgrace to Parliament and its abject rejection of Magna Carta. We are now on the very slippery slope to a Police State like Zimbabwe. Surely there is some way to impeach the PM?

The question is whether I am now to be investigated and subjected to 42 days detention for challenging his edict?

M. Cawdery, Portadown, Co. UK, EU

I cannot believe that this country, of all countries, has taken this move when other equivalent countries are happy to work with a one or two day detention without prosecution. No longer can we hold ourselves up as beacon of liberty in the world. Now we rank with the worst dictatorships anywhere.

John, London, UK

So they were won over by promises of compensation, which could be 3,000 pounds per day - or might be 30 pence per day. How cheaply they sold our liberty and way of life today. But then why should we be surprised? After all, we know how much MPs like their daily allowances!

Kevin, London, UK

So how much did it cost the British public to bail Gorgie so he can keep his role as PM that he has never been voted in to by the electorate.
And can i be arrested please as it now sounds like a good money spninner as we always seem to let terroists go free as we are infringing their human rights

James, Auckland/&outhampton, UK/NZ

Gordon. What are we going to do to you in 2 years time??

ronnie, bucks, UK

OK cover loss of earnings and then something for depravation of personal liberties etc but £3k a day simply barking!

Simon, Soton,