Euro-MP urges Blunkett to be robust with Washington

12.00.00am GMT Mon 8th Mar 2004

West Midlands Euro-MP Liz Lynne has welcomed the Home Secretary's belated criticisms of the US Government's treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.

The Liberal Democrat MEP commenting on reports that David Blunkett will raise the issue of the remaining British detainees during his visit to Washington said:

"Mr Blunkett should be robust in his defence of the rule of law and the principle of due process.

"All the detainees at Guantanamo Bay have been held in unacceptable legal limbo for more than 2 years now. They have been denied access to lawyers and they do not even know what charges if any they face. This flies in the face of International standards of justice and human rights.

"The proposals to put British subjects on trial before a military

commission are wholly contrary to the tenets of justice. The Home

Secretary should leave the Bush administration in no doubt whatsoever about the distaste which the British public has for their proposal."

ENDS