It’d be madness to block terrorism offences’ register on human rights grounds
NEXT week the Government will introduce emergency legislation to stop anyone convicted of terrorist offences from being automatically released half-way through their sentence.
But, as Whitehall sources acknowledge, this only tackles one vulnerability in the system. So a broader plan to deal with the jihadi threat is being drawn up.
One idea under discussion is for a sex offenders-style register for terrorists.
This would enable the State to place restrictions on terrorists long after they have completed any prison sentence.
These restrictions could include who they are allowed to meet with, where they are allowed to travel to, both at home and abroad, and a requirement to show the police their phones, laptops and internet and social media use.
This approach would go some way to dealing with the problem of what to do with terrorists who have been released but have not abandoned their hate-filled world view.
It would prevent them from conspiring with like-minded individuals.
MADNESS
But as the Streatham attacker showed on Sunday, even strict restrictions cannot stop someone from attempting to kill random members of the public.
Despite being under surveillance by a team of armed officers, Sudesh Amman still managed to stab two people before he was shot dead.
There are some people who, despite being convicted of relatively minor offences such as the distribution of extremist materials, are simply too dangerous to be released.
I understand that for this group of offenders there is a plan for them to have to positively fulfil certain conditions before they can be let out.
Put simply, they would have to persuade either a judge or a parole panel that they were no longer a danger to the public before they could be released.
I am told that these measures would likely be in either the Counter Terrorism Bill or the Sentencing Bill that are expected later this year.
Such changes would almost certainly be challenged on human rights grounds.
It would be argued that it is unreasonable to either place restrictions on people once they have served their time in jail or to require them to show that they have been “deradicalised” before they can be freed.
But the first duty of government is to protect its citizens. It would be madness if people continue to be released on to the streets who the Government knows are a danger to the rest of us.
We cannot have a repeat of Sunday when people were stabbed by someone who was released despite the authorities knowing that he was still intent on martyrdom.
I understand that, if necessary, the Government would be prepared to derogate from parts of the European Convention on Human Rights so it can introduce such changes.
This should be possible, given that France did exactly that after the Paris terrorist attacks in November 2015.
This country faces a changed terrorist threat. Today’s terrorists go from radicalisation to action far faster than they did even a decade ago.
They are more interested in killing people as quickly as possible than in launching “spectacular” attacks.
To combat this threat, the law needs to change if we are all to be kept safe.
The end of the peer show for Bercow
I UNDERSTAND that John Bercow will not receive a peerage in this honour’s list.
There are two obstacles to his ennoblement. The first is that Jeremy Corbyn as Leader of the Opposition cannot nominate crossbench peers.
Second, the House of Lords Appointments Commission rules state that to pass the propriety test, “the past conduct of the nominee would not reasonably be regarded as bringing the House of Lords into disrepute”.
Until the bullying allegations against him have been investigated, that cannot be said of Bercow.
One senior House of Lords source tells me the “processes are very clear”.
Interestingly, I understand that the former Chancellor Philip Hammond WILL be offered the Conservative whip when he enters the Lords, despite the fact he was stripped of it in the Commons for voting against Boris Johnson on Brexit.
North needs inter-city expresses
AN announcement on the future of HS2 is expected in the next ten days. I understand that Boris Johnson is keen to end the uncertainty surrounding the project.
Given the infighting on the Tory benches, a decision will help with party management. Once a decision has been made, the Blue on Blue action will cease.
However, several Tory MPs whose constituencies are directly affected by the line will almost certainly continue to oppose it.
My understanding is that the Government will give the immediate go-ahead to both the London-to-Birmingham part of the route and the Birmingham-to-Crewe line. It will, though, review the sections to Manchester and Leeds to check they are being done in the most efficient and effective way.
By building the high-speed line to Crewe, it means journey times all the way up the West Coast Main Line to Scotland will be cut.
The decision to go ahead with HS2 is also a major victory for the Tory Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street.
He has vigorously championed the scheme and confirmation it is going ahead will give him a boost ahead of this May’s election when he will face former Labour Cabinet Minister Liam Byrne.
The challenge for this Government is to ensure that connections within the Midlands and the North are improved as well as between there and London.
There is an urgent need for faster links between the cities of the North.
If Boris Johnson is really going to level up the country, he needs to make it far quicker – and easier – to get from Liverpool in the West to Hull in the East.
Cabinet reshuffle on way
PRIME Minister Boris Johnson will reshuffle his ministerial team on Thursday with the new Cabinet meeting for the first time on Friday morning.
I understand that no decisions are yet final, with discussions expected to take place this weekend about who should move where.
One person in line for a significant promotion is Oliver Dowden, the Paymaster General.
Dowden, who was David Cameron’s deputy chief of staff, has impressed Boris Johnson with his ability to get things done and to steer policy through the Whitehall system. He will be given his own department to run.
The most churn will take place at junior ministerial level. Number 10 is keen to ensure more female MPs are ready to be elevated to the Cabinet come the next reshuffle. Expect promotions for Helen Whately and Suella Braverman among others.
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Stocking up for killer bug
The Government has urged the pharmaceutical industry to keep up the stockpiles they built up to handle No Deal. This is not because of Brexit, but coronavirus.
The worry is that with large parts of China effectively shut down by the disease, there will be disruption to the global supply chains that produce many medical devices and medicines.
So, the UK needs to maintain its own stocks to deal with any shortages.
In Whitehall, there is an increasing sense that the coronavirus is going to cause significant disruption to the global economy.
With factories shuttered in several regions of China, many production lines that rely on Chinese parts will have to be put on hold if the virus is not brought under control soon.
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