42 DAYS BINNED

So. After all the arm-twisting, all the drama, 42 Days as a counter-terrorism is binned. It took one of the biggest defeats ever for the Government in the House Of Lords for this unnecessary and unwanted legislation to bite the dust. Hope Mandelson enjoyed his debut in the Upper Chamber. ......
In a bald statement to the media, Jacqui Smith makes it clear there will be no renewed battle in the House Of Commons. Why? The whole issue was only ever about Gordon Brown's authority and, now he has reassserted his leadership due to the financial crisis, the Government can just afford to let it go. One should be glad the legislation is history but I wonder what all those MPs who were cajoled into voting for it now think. Yet again, the Labour Left has been proved right. Time to get on properly with nationalising the banks, then......
As Mark Serwotka said at tonight's LEAP rally in London "The thought of New Labour nationalising banks would have seemed absurd even a few weeks ago. Now up to £500 billion is being made available to prop up the banking system in these unstable economic times.
"We should look at the conditions attached to the massive injection of taxpayer’s money into the banking system. There should be controls on top pay, and restrictions on repossessions, with future profits from the banks going to the public purse. The trend of offshoring to avoid taxation must be brought to a rapid halt too.
"The arguments for more free markets, less regulation, and more privatisation have now been found wanting and hollow. No one trusts the smooth tongued financiers anymore