Blair takes on MPs after defeat

LONDON—Prime Minister Tony Blair withstood severe criticism Thursday over his first-ever legislative defeat and slapped back at Parliament, accusing lawmakers of failing to take the threat from terrorism seriously enough.
With the leader of the main opposition party calling for his resignation and newspapers predicting it, Blair went on the offensive, criticizing lawmakers who on Wednesday voted down his plan to let police detain terrorism suspects without charge for up to 90 days.
“The prime minister expressed his view (during a Cabinet meeting) that in his opinion, there was a worrying gap between parts of Parliament and the reality of the terrorist threat and public opinion,” Blair’s official spokesman said, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity.
Blair had tried to push the measure through the House of Commons despite warnings from lawmakers, who were anxious about its repercussions on civil liberties and voted instead to extend the maximum detention period to 28 days from the current 14 days. Blair met with police and security officials in his Downing Street office on Thursday and remained steadfast in his view that the powers they had requested were crucial to stopping terrorism, said the spokesman, who withheld his name in keeping with government policy. He said the security meeting was “sobering”. The measure was drafted after the deadly July suicide bombings on London’s transportation network, part of a bill that aimed to tackle Muslim extremism with provisions that also include bans on glorifying terrorism and giving or receiving terrorist training.—Agencies