British MPs pass emergency terrorism bill in one day

13 février 2020
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Police officers search around a red London bus on Streatham High Road in south London on February 3, 2020 following a knife attack | Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP via Getty Images

Boris Johnson decided to fast-track the bill after an attack in Streatham earlier this month.

LONDON — A U.K. bill to end the automatic early release of terrorism offenders was given parliamentary approval Wednesday.

MPs rushed through the Terrorist Offenders Bill in a day to ensure it reaches the statue book before any more people convicted of terrorism offenses are released from prison (the next such offender due for automatic early release is due to leave prison on February 28).

Prime Minister Boris Johnson decided to fast-track the bill after an attack in Streatham, south London earlier this month. The attacker, Sudesh Amman, had been freed from prison 10 days earlier. In an attack last November on London Bridge, the perpetrator, Usman Khan, had been released under the same system.

In the Commons debate on the bill, Justice Minister Chris Philp said it had “become very clear to the government that the automatic release of some terrorist offenders does pose an unacceptable risk to the public and that is why we’re acting with urgency with this emergency legislation.”

The Labour Party also supported the bill, which is expected to reach the House of Lords after a short parliamentary break next week.

Politics