The new Police and Justice Bill to be debated in the Commons on Monday 6 March will undermine traditional rule of law by creating punitive powers for the police and private individuals. Parliamentarians should not allow these powers, hidden away in schedules to the Bill, to pass into law.

Under the new proposals:

• Police can impose undefined and potentially limitless pre-charge bail conditions on suspects which could include curfews and electronic tags. Currently judges, not police, have a narrow remit to impose post-charge bail conditions if the offender poses a flight risk, might re-offend, or could intimidate witnesses;

• Small numbers of people will be able to directly influence police priorities without consulting the wider community;

• Unaccountable social landlords will be able to apply for parenting orders for their tenants.

Director of Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti, said:

“The new Police and Justice Bill offers a game of musical chairs in which the politicians are policemen, people become prosecutors and the police replace the judges. Justice becomes the odd man out.

Allowing the police to fit electronic tags on suspects for an indefinite period without the consent of a judge turns traditional British democratic values on their head.”

Liberty Press Office on 0207 378 3656 or 07973 831 128


NOTES TO EDITORS

1. Liberty is also concerned that the Police and Criminal Justice Bill would allow the Government to intervene in local police authority matters. Further, the police will be able to screen and track advanced travel details on more than 40 million domestic travellers on flights and ferries, having nothing to do with traditional screening for border control or identifying terror suspects.