Conference Notes:

1. The recent Law Lords ruling on the illegality of detaining terror suspects without trial
2. The Government proposals in response whereby ministers can place terrorists under house arrest
3. That the Government’s proposal contravenes the European Convention on Human Rights
4. That whilst terrorist cases can involve sensitive information, the Government is not proposing trail in secret – rather, no trial at all.

Conference Believes:

1. That host house arrest may be one solution to issues of terrorism, the Government proposal is entirely the wrong way of approaching it. This is illegal, illiberal, ill thought out and likely to be ineffective.
2. That if there is sufficient evidence to charge a suspect with terrorist offences, they should be charged, and that otherwise they should be released.

Conference Resolves:

1. To oppose the Government’s proposals, and to call on Lib Dem MPs and Peers to do likewise.
2. To call for a judicial commission to investigate legal alternatives to the government’s proposals – for example widening the rules of admissibility of evidence in terrorist cases.