It surprised me to read that a majority of the population supported the narrowly-won proposal to increase the maximum length of detention before charge to 42 days. What has caused this view, in a country which took pride in a history of respect for the liberty of the individual?

One of the facets of this respect was the idea that a person is innocent until proved guilty. Now, where terrorism is concerned, this has been forgotten.

Many people seem to think that if a person has been arrested and questioned then that person must be guilty and the police should be allowed as much time as is necessary to prove that guilt - 42 days, 90 days, who cares?

The injustice of this attitude is compounded by the fact that most, but not all potential terrorists are likely to have their origins in other countries and it is from those communities that detainees are likely to be drawn. Will they love this country more if the police detain them for longer periods on mere suspicion, malicious scaremongering or false information?

If, on the other hand, we realised that the 42 day rule to applied to us all, to be held in a cell without knowing what charge was being considered and probably isolated from outside contact because of the risk of alerting enemies of the state, would we be so keen to support the Government?

David Davis has done a service to the nation by his dramatic resignation. It will make us all think again about what the Labour Government has been doing to this country.

The possible intervention by Rupert Murdoch in the by-election in backing the candidature of his ex-editor to stand against David Davis is particularly offensive.

He is not a British citizen, but through the columns of his papers he appears ready to undermine long held traditions of fairness on the pretext of defending us from terror.

He, and Gordon Brown's Government, should ask themselves why it is that Britain is considered to be a suitable target for fanatics.

David Pearson
Windermere Avenue, Wembley