It's ironic isn't it? Parliament was originally set up to protect the people from the excesses of the king and aristocracy.

Now, a few hundred years later, we are dependant on the Lords to protect us from the anti-libertarianism of the Commons. What goes around....

Mel, Shoreham-By-Sea

Mel Cherriman, Shoreham-By Sea, England

Is Davies a conviction politician or is he trying to re-run the Leadership election? As you report Cameron does not often put himself at odds with public opinion and maybe he blames Davies for making him a loser on this occasion. Strange how those who lost 42 days now look to the un-elected Lords

Cliff Winfield, Leicester,

Why would a man who probably hates being compared to Joe Stalin behave in this way?

Richard Crompton, Baden, Switzerland

Sadly,yesteray's Commons outcome does not mean anything--other than to display further evidence of the precarious position of a weak prime minister, happy to do dodgy parliamentary deals this way and that purely to save his own face.

william grierson, Kimpton, UK

It is a fundamental principle in a free society that the government cannot imprison citizens without saying why. Shame on you, Gordon Brown, shame on you, for robbing us of a freedom which generations of our ancestors have fought and died to preserve. And shame on us for letting it be stolen.

David, Launceston,

The point is that no change is necessary - one presumes that if the police wish to detain someone beyond 28 days, they will be able to make the case to (presumably) a judge - if they can't make the case, then they shouldn't detain further, and in which case, investigations/surveillance can continue.

John, birmingham,

Why assume that by releasing suspects after 28 days, the investigation underway totally ceases and the miscreants left to wander about unfettered carrying "dirty bombs"?
Suspected serial killers, drug dealers and would-be axe-murderers are watched and taken in for future questioning, as necessary.

Padraig, Perth, Australia

G Londsale. Utter twaddle. How can detaining people without sufficient evidence to charge them for 42 days possibly stop a bomb? There is actually NO evidence that this absurd measure will help the War on Terror, and it is incontrovertable that it undermines out historic freedoms and way of life.

NBeale, London, England

All down to the DUP! Misery makes strange bedfellows.

paul freeman, London , England

Brown couldn't care less if this goes through the Lords or not: what counts is that he looks tough on terror. In fact, if the Lords do shoot it down, he'll revel in the opportunity to crow about them opposing 'the will of the people'. Embodied, of course, by him.

Jonathan Widnall, Torquay,

I'm shocked and deeply saddened that the conservative party have NOT put the security of our country above everything .Just a year or so down the line and a successful dirty bomb (or two) in a major UK city and the Party could find itself responsible as a result of its short sighted voting yesterday

Gordon Lonsdale , Northampton, UK

thanks goodness for the Lords, and what a sad day it is when the majority of the public polled wish to give up their civil liberties so freely. Lets hope *member of the public* you are never wrongly mistaken as a terrorist and end up 42 days without trial. Just think of all the soaps you will miss!

rt, london,

Brown clearly commands so little respect from his own backbenchers that he cannot, even with weeks of arm twisting and various promises, get them to back this proposal and can only win by bribing the Ulster Unionists.
Just more loss of authority for this already fatally weakened 'Prime Minister.'

Roger, swindon,