June 03, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 28, 1429

LONDON, June 2: Prime Minister Gordon Brown, facing what is being seen here as his make or break political venture insisted on Monday that he was determined to stick to his principles over plans to allow police to detain terror suspects for 42 days without charge.

Answering questions at the joint press conference with his Japanese counterpart Yasuo Fukuda, the British Prime Minister said the extension from 28 days is needed because the security services are pursuing around 2,000 terrorists and 30 plots.

When asked if a defeat in parliament over the issue would mean a vote of no confidence in his leadership, Mr Brown said that he had tried to build consensus around the proposals “but I am determined that we stick to our principles and that is up to 42 days’ detention is and will be necessary in the future.”

“But Parliament will make the final decision on the individual incident itself. And when we put forward all our proposals people will see very clearly that the civil liberties of individuals are taken fully into account,” he said.

He listed safeguards that would be made to maximise protection against “arbitrary treatment”.

These included that detention beyond 28 days would be allowed only in specific circumstances. The home secretary, director of public prosecutions, the police and Parliament must sanction it. The judiciary would oversee each individual case, and there must be public reporting on each case. MPs could be allowed to vote after seven days - instead of after 30 days — on the home secretary’s decision to grant the police the right to detain someone for up to 42 days.

In their opening remarks, the two prime ministers expressed their concern over the rising fuel and food prices, their determination to help Africa come out of its perpetual darkness and their resolve to focus on health and education to help achieve the world targets set for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The two promised to take up these issues along with their concerns about climate at the G-8 summit in July.

Mr Brown called upon the oil producing countries to increase their out put and their investment in oil field development.

In answer to a question on Japan’s continued opposition to genetically modified food Mr Fukuda said that the scientific evidence in this regard is still being collected.