Tony McNulty and civil liberties

There was a time in the summer of 2008 when one could barely turn on the television without seeing former Home Office Minister Tony McNulty’s sturdy defences of the Labour Party’s approach to law and order.  A stronger supporter of ID cards and ninety day incarceration it was impossible to find.
Reading The Times this morning it appears that McNulty, who lost his Harrow East seat in May, has had what the Americans call a “come to Jesus” moment, admitting the party “misjudged control orders, stop-and-search and other civil rights issues” while in government.
McNulty says: "Some policies [implemented by Labour] simply did not protect the public and others failed to strike the balance between public safety and liberty”.  He refers to control orders as a “clumsy tool” and now believes that the government should “move on” from provisions allowing the detention of suspects without trial for 28 days.
Sadly, McNulty’s full article is hidden behind The Times’ internet paywall – although it does appear on page 35 of the newspaper itself.
By Daniel Hamilton.

http://www.bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/