Civil liberties

The law, individual rights and the government’s role in national security

Overview

Public attitudes to the government’s role in national security are comparatively iliberal. The
public favours stronger state powers to tackle terrorism, with just over half in support of
detaining people indefinitely without trial if a terrorist attack is suspected. Currently the law
allows detainment without charge for a maximum of 14 days.

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Spotlight 

Authors: Elizabeth Clery, Research Director, The National Centre for Social Research; David Mead, Professor of UK Human Rights Law, University of East Anglia