Published on Mar 7, 2013

Secret courts where secret evidence could be heard against defendants who don’t even have the right to appoint their own legal representatives could become a more common feature of British justice system if the government pushes through the controversial new Justice and Security bill. In heated debates in the House of Commons, a parliamentary majority ensured it took a step closer to becoming law despite passionate opposition. The government claims it is necessary on national security grounds but opponents of the bill say if passed, this signals real hypocrisy from the government. Despite a cross-party movement to try and block the passing of the bill, the Coalition has been accused of ‘railroading the plans through’ and stamping on centuries of tradition where the accused has the right to face the evidence against them.

Amina Taylor , Press TV, London

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Hitting out: Ken Clarke accused Labour of trying to sabotage the Bill with its amendments

04 March 2013

Ken Clarke fought back against opposition to his plans for “secret courts” ahead of a series of Commons votes today.

Mr Clarke has won support from David Blunkett, the former home secretary, and Lord Woolf, the former head of the judiciary, but there were signs that Liberal Democrat opponents could join Labour MPs to push through safeguards that the Government claims would make the Bill unworkable.

The Justice and Security Bill would allow judges in civil cases to take evidence from spy agencies which would not be shown to other parties on national security grounds. Critics say it would lead to judgments being influenced without anyone knowing why.  But in a letter to The Times, Lord Woolf said: “The Bill now ensures that we will retain our standards of general justice, while also putting an end to the blindfolding of judges in this small number of cases.”

Mr Clarke, the minister without portfolio, said: “Lord Woolf, the former Lord Chief Justice, has made clear that the Bill now gives the judge ‘complete control’ over the whole process.

“Labour’s amendments are therefore simply opportunistic vandalism which if passed would prevent the courts from hearing these cases properly.”

More than 100 prominent Liberal Democrats have written to MPs urging them to oppose the Bill on civil rights grounds and Labour insisted that their safeguards would ensure secret hearings were used only as a last resort.

Sadiq Khan, the shadow justice secretary, said: “The House of Lords vote to put in safeguards. This Government, secretly upstairs in the committee corridors of the House of Commons, removes the safeguards put in.”

It emerged yesterday that more than £30 million has been spent on settling claims out of court and tens of millions more could be awarded in 20 other cases to avoid sensitive information being made public.

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