Liberty director demands apology

Shami Chakrabarti is demanding a written apology

Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti is threatening to sue a Cabinet minister she says "set out to smear" her dealings with ex-Tory MP David Davis.

Ms Chakrabarti said that she would sue Culture Secretary Andy Burnham if "you continue down the path of innuendo and attempted character assassination".

It follows an article in which he said he found her alliance with capital punishment backer Mr Davis "curious".

A spokesman said Mr Burnham had not meant any offence.

Mr Burnham's comments came in an interview with New Labour magazine Progress.

He expressed dismay at civil liberties campaigners and other people who had been "seduced by Tory talk of how liberal they are".

He said he found it "very curious in the man who was, and still is I believe, an exponent of capital punishment, having late-night, hand-wringing, heart-melting phone calls with Shami Chakrabarti".

The article prompted Mr Davis to accuse Labour of indulging in "personal smears and lies".

'Tawdry fashion'

The former MP - who quit the Commons this week to fight a by-election on civil liberties - said they showed "Labour has lost the argument over the erosion of British freedoms".

And in a strongly worded letter on Thursday, Ms Chakrabarti accused Mr Burnham of "setting out to smear my dealings with the former shadow home secretary".

"I must say I find this behaviour curious, coming as it does from a Cabinet minister, let alone someone with a partner and a family of his own," she added.

His comments related to politics and nothing else - he regrets if any personal offence has been caused Andy Burnham's spokesman

"By your comments you debase not only a great office of state but the vital debate about fundamental rights and freedoms in this country.

"Indeed you seem reluctant to engage in that debate except in this tawdry fashion.

"I look forward to your written apology as I'm sure does Mrs Davis.

"If on the other hand you choose to continue down the path of innuendo and attempted character assassination, you will find that the privileged legal protection of the parliament chamber does not extend to slurs made in the wider public domain.

"The fruits of any legal action will of course go to Liberty (the National Council for Civil Liberties)," she writes.

Burnham 'regret'

A spokesman for Mr Burnham's Department of Culture, Media and Sport said he had not meant any offence.

"Andy Burnham was making a political point about David Davis's inconsistent views on capital punishment and civil liberties," the spokesman said.

"An interpretation has been placed on Andy's remarks that he did not intend.

"His comments related to politics and nothing else. He regrets if any personal offence has been caused."

Last Thursday, Ms Chakrabarti told BBC Radio 4's PM that Mr Davis had rung her after Wednesday night's Commons vote on the 42 day terror limit.

She said he had told her he was planning to resign and fight a by-election on the issue - but said she had urged him not to do so.

"I would never counsel anyone to put their job on the line - it's a very brave thing," she told PM.

Mr Davis is unlikely to face a significant challenge in the Haltemprice and Howden by-election, after Labour said they would not be fielding a candidate.

The Lib Dems have also said they will not be standing as they agree with Mr Davis on civil liberties.