Liberty launches literary campaign on 42 days

The unprecedented campaign, which is being co-ordinated by civil rights group Liberty, was launched last night on the eve of a crucial vote on the Counter Terrorism Bill in the House of Lords today, where it is expected to meet fierce opposition.

The 42 writers taking part in the action include illustrious names such as Philip Pullman, Monica Ali, Julian Barnes, Ian Rankin, Alain de Botton, Ali Smith and AL Kennedy.

They will each publish a short story, essay or poem online at noon at www.42writers.com, condemning Prime Minister Gordon Brown's determination to extend the pre-charge detention period in spite of strong public and Parliamentary opposition.

The legislation made it through the Commons in June by just nine votes from the Democratic Unionist Party.

In a scathing piece for 42 Writers for Liberty, Ms Kennedy warns that the experience of being held for six weeks without charge will leave a permanent scar on suspects' lives.

"In 42 days, we will have made you different. You may be charged, you may be released. You will always be different," she writes.

Mr Barnes notes: "Claiming to defend British liberty by diminishing British liberty has become a political norm over the last 30 years or so."

During the past year, Liberty has worked to build cross-party political and public opposition to extending the pre-charge detention period for terror suspects through its Charge or Release campaign.

Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti said: "It is so heartening to see Britain's finest writers joining our campaign against extending detention without charge.

"Not a single writer that was approached turned down the opportunity to register their opposition to this divisive policy. Tomorrow, the House of Lords will speak and we urge the government to listen."

Former shadow home secretary David Davis, who resigned his post after the Commons voted the 42-days proposal through, said that he expected peers to overwhelmingly reject the proposals.

This would effectively kill the legislation off because the government has claimed that it will not use the Parliament Act to force it through.

A meeting of Labour peers last Wednesday reportedly urged Mr Brown to drop the measure now, rather than face a humiliating defeat at the Lords.

Previously loyal Labour peers Lord Goldsmith, the former attorney general, and former lord chancellor Lord Falconer are said to be among those expected to rebel.