Kennedy: Prime Minister should not count on support from the Liberal Democrats

11.45.24am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 7th Aug 2005

ommenting on the proposals outlined by the Prime Minister, Charles Kennedy said:

"The public mood has certainly shifted on the question of whether we should allow foreign nationals who incite violence to enter or stay in the UK. It is time for a more proactive approach.

However, today's list of announcements has put the cross-party consensus under serious strain. The government agreed to properly consult opposition parties on their proposals, but this agreement seems to have broken down. No mention was made of the proposals during a briefing the Liberal Democrats received from the Home Office yesterday, and it appears that even they may not have been aware of the Prime Minister's plans.

The Prime Minister intends to ban Muslim organisations, seek powers to close down mosques, and deport people who visit particular bookshops or websites. He is running the risk of inflaming tensions and alienating Muslims at the very time we need the different communities of Britain to pull together.

The Liberal Democrats will examine the detail of these measures, but the Prime Minister should not count on our support. We shall reserve our position until we have consulted properly ourselves - albeit against a constrained August timetable."