Is Reid playing the blame game?

Analysis By Nick Assinder Political correspondent, BBC News website

John Reid has adopted a pretty angry "don't blame me, I told you so" attitude towards the latest crisis over control orders.

Mr Reid accused Tories of hitting terror fight

In a characteristically combative response, the home secretary has pointed his finger at the courts and the opposition parties for denying him the tougher laws he had wanted to deal with terror-related suspects.

He says he is fighting with one hand tied behind his back, and suggested the other parties are undermining national security. He challenged them to back the new measures he now plans to introduce.

Downing Street has claimed it will not play the blame game, but the prime minister's official spokesman declared: "We warned that this could be where we ended up and it's therefore not a surprise that this is where we have ended up."

Supporters believe Mr Reid and the government have a point and, in the Commons, the home secretary detailed a series of anti-terror measures the Tories had voted against.

Critics, however, believe the home secretary is seeking excuses to distract from the Tories' claim that he is failing in his duty to protect the public.

Political advantage

Originally, after the 11 September attacks, the government moved to lock up suspects in Belmarsh high security prison, without charges or a trial.

Terror threat is said to be high

But the courts ruled that was illegal under European human rights legislation, incorporated into UK law by the government.

It was also unlawful to deport them because they might be returned to countries where they may face torture.

Control orders were introduced as a "fourth best" measure but brought fierce opposition from civil liberties groups and opposition parties.

Some argued the government should derogate from human rights laws while others said it was unacceptable not to bring suspects before the courts with evidence of their alleged crimes.

Since he took over at the Home Office, Mr Reid has made it clear he is deeply unhappy with the situation and that his attempts to fight terrorism are, he claims, being hampered for political advantage and by judges.

He has now turned up the heat in this row with some of the strongest attacks yet aimed at the opposition parties.

Phone taps

He has announced plans for new laws and said he will consider derogating from the human rights laws.

Mr Davis accused Mr Reid of failing in his duty

Meanwhile, his critics are pointing out it was the government that incorporated human rights laws into British legislation and that had always had the power to derogate from aspects of it but had chosen not to do so.

The judges, they argue, have only been doing their job in ensuring the laws are properly implemented.

Similarly, opponents including the Tories' David Davis, have insisted that - whatever the arguments around control orders - it is still the home secretary's primary duty to protect the public.

The control orders, they argue, are clearly not being policed properly and Mr Reid must shoulder the blame for that.

They also point out that, amongst other things, they had been pressing for other evidence, such as phone taps, to be made admissible to allow suspects to be held in prison - a notion ministers had rejected.

If it was not for the highly-unusual political situation at the moment - with one prime minister on the way out and another waiting in the wings - there would undoubtedly be rumblings about Mr Reid's position.

As it is, he has already announced he is quitting along with the prime minister.

So, whatever measures he introduces in the next month or so, it will be up to his successor - and Gordon Brown - to deal with the consequences of this apparently escalating row.

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