Brown in trouble over Keith’s letter

By OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT

London

July 3: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Thursday denied offering any inducements to Mps, especially Labour MP Keith Vaz, to support his government’s plans to extend pre-charge detention period for terror suspects to 42 days.

Mr Vaz, who is of Indian origin, is Labour party MP for Leicester East constituency and heads the Commons home affairs select committee.

Mr Brown and his government were embarrassed in Parliament when it was revealed by the Tories that Labour chief whip Geoff Hoon had sent a letter to Mr Vaz after the government won the vote on 42-day pre-charge detention, apparently promising a reward for his support to the bill.

Mr Vaz, who had originally opposed the anti-terror measure, supported the bill during the vote in the House of Commons in June.

In the letter, contents of which were printed in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Hoon wrote: "Just a quick note to thank you for all your help during the period leading up to last Wednesday’s vote. I trust that it will be appropriately rewarded!"

Mr Brown, who was questioned about the issue by the Commons liaison committee on the issue, said that Mr Hoon "was thanking the chairman of the home affairs select committee for doing exactly the right thing." He denied any MPs had been offered honours. "Not at all. Nor do I recall sending any letters to anyone."

The Prime Minister again denied that any backroom deals had been made to get the anti-terror proposals passed in the House of Commons.

Mr Brown was grilled in Parliament on Wednesday over the issue.