In quotes: West's terror U-turn

Here are the interviews Security Minister Lord West gave on extending the time terror suspects can be held without charge:

0810 BBC RADIO 4'S TODAY PROGRAMME

By just before 0820, he is asked what his view is on the 28-day limit on pre-charge detention.

"I want to have absolute evidence that we actually need longer than 28 days.

I want to be totally convinced because I am not going to go and push for something that actually affects the liberty of the individual unless there is a real necessity for it.

I still need to be fully convinced that we absolutely need more than 28 days and I also need to be convinced what is the best way of doing that."

0830-0930 - LORD WEST AFTER TALKS WITH GORDON BROWN

0930 - After a half-hour meeting with the prime minister the former head of the Royal Navy appears to have changed his mind.

He is now "personally convinced" there is a need to change the law.

"And what is very difficult, I believe, because we have to balance civil liberties, is how we actually move forward to achieve it. And that's where the real difficulty's going to be.

I personally absolutely believe that within the next two, three years, we will require more than that for one of these complex plots. So I am convinced that's the case."

AFTER 0930 LORD WEST ISSUES A STATEMENT

Lord West tries to clarify his comments:

"I am quite clear that the greater complexities of terrorist plots will mean that we will need the power to detain certain individuals for more than 28 days.

Already six individuals have been held over 27 days and the number of plots, and their growing international nature, will only make them more complex to investigate.

I was stating this morning that there will need to be scrutiny in the system, and robust evidence against individuals, to safeguard their rights.

I am convinced that we need to legislate now so that we have the necessary powers when we need them.

The government would be failing in its responsibility to protect national security if we waited until we needed more than 28 days to act."

11.30 AT ARSENAL'S EMIRATES STADIUM

The peer is quizzed again about his comments.

"Being a simple sailor not a politician maybe I didn't choose my words well...Maybe my choice of words wasn't very clever."