LONDON, Nov 2: The British government backed down on a key counter-terrorist proposal on Wednesday rather than risk its first major defeat in parliament since 1997, hours after one of Tony Blair’s closest allies quit.

Parliamentarians including members of Prime Minister Blair’s Labour party had been poised to vote down a government plan to let police hold suspects for up to 90 days without charge.

But late in the debate Home Secretary Charles Clarke averted defeat by saying he would launch a new round of cross-party talks to try and reach a compromise.

“My view is that we ought to seek consensus because we need the strength of a consensus decision,” he said.

Blair had already suffered a heavy blow on Wednesday after senior minister David Blunkett was forced to resign.

To lose a first major vote during his eight years in power could have been a reverse too far.

His government has suffered several reverses in the House of Lords, parliament’s upper chamber, which can delay but not scrap legislation. It has never lost in the elected House of Commons.

Earlier in the day, Blair had insisted police needed the 90-day holding period in some cases — up from 14 days at present — because of the difficulty in building a case against terrorism suspects.

“We are doing it because the police, the head of the anti-terrorist operations in this country, say they need these powers to protect British citizens,” he told parliament.—Reuters