Learn from Blair error

And, if he does sustain such a morale-sapping defeat just a month before English and Welsh local government elections, it will be his own fault, since it is completely unnecessary. Government persistence with this irrelevant demand, which is judged unnecessary in most of the world, is based on its refusal to accept the decision of Parliament.

Former prime minister and autocrat manqué Tony Blair made precisely the same error, coupling his authority to his demand for 90 days, despite the automatic linking of his proposal to apartheid South Africa's notorious 90-day laws.

Parliament refused to accede, which accelerated Mr Blair's demise, providing a silver lining of sorts.

However, his partner in crime seems incapable of understanding that history could repeat itself after an unbelievably short period.

And what credibility could the PM have if he flounders at this wholly unnecessary and self-constructed hazard?

Instead of continuing to push a discredited campaign bandwagon based on two equally spurious approaches - the first, trust us, and the other, don't worry about it because it will only be used exceptionally - the government should cut its losses.

Trust is in short supply at the moment, especially for ministers associated with secrecy, arrogance and authoritarianism. And exceptions are not the best basis for any alteration of the law.

Desmond Tutu is correct in pointing out that the best way to combat terrorism is to strengthen hard-won freedoms rather than truncating them.

Constructing a social unity against terrorism by taking care not to isolate Britain's Muslim communities, against whom such controls would be directed, is another vital issue ignored by the government.

NHS attack

HEALTH Minister Alan Johnson's proposal to offer "individual health budgets" to patients with such long-term conditions as multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease and diabetes is yet another example of new Labour adopting the Tories' "choice" agenda.

It is also a body blow against the basic NHS principle of health care being free at the point of need.

The Tories have been throwing up scheme after scheme for the past 20 years or more, suggesting vouchers for nursery provision, education and health care.

As ever, it is predicated on the supposed need for "choice," although this is so far down the list of priorities of most users of these services as to be invisible.

Surveys show that people want health care based on NHS principles. They want to be treated locally and they want their local hospital to offer a good standard of treatment.

The idea that the long-term sick would prefer to shop around, comparing league tables on cleanliness, death rates and assessments of individual professionals before opting for the feather-bedded and smoothly advertised private sector is too bizarre for words.

Handing out vouchers to patients would be an important, potentially irreversible step towards the neoliberal goal of marketising health and destroying Labour's greatest post-World War II achievement.

No credibility should be extended by any labour movement organisation to this hare-brained scheme. It should be ditched forthwith.