Party Lines: November 1st

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

As more information comes to light over the attempted air-freight bombers, Labour politicians have been reacting to the news both in the house and in the media. Jack Straw admitted we can’t be completely protected from terrorists, Maria Eagle was concerned that these packages weren’t picked up through screening, and Lord John Reid discussed a potential security review.

Speaking to Sky News this morning, Jack Straw talked of the importance of getting the “balance” right, but admitted we can’t be completely protected from terrorists:

“We’ve got to get the balance right between responding to what appears to be a new threat and not doing what the terrorists want, which is for normal life to be seized up altogether.”

“These responses by the security council are not irrational, but the key thing is to make balanced decisions, you’ve also to get across to the public that there is no 100% way in which the public can be protected from the reality of a terrorist attack and terrorists will always seek to spot the weak links in security walls and to go for them in unexpected and new ways.”

“We can’t be protected completely from terrorists.”

Shadow transport minister Maria Eagle spoke to BBC News, and said she was concerned that these packages weren’t picked up through screening – and raised the possibility of extra security measures:

“Well the concerning issue about this is that these packs got on to planes, and were only detected by intelligence, they were not detected by screening measures.”

“If that shows we require extra security measures…then that is what will be needed.”

And former home secretary – and now member of the Lords – John Reid discussed the outline of a potential security review with BBC News:

“If there’s going to be a review of security, first of all it should cover pass as well as freight, secondly it should be periodic and continuous not just after an incident like this.”

“Thirdly, I’d like to see it apply a little more to a study of the airports abroad, for instance in Yemen and Somalia and other places… It isn’t possible to screen everything, but it is possible to give them the technical means as well as the general governmental support.”