MPs back football thug crackdown

Critics say the proposals infringe civil liberties

Emergency legislation to crack down on football hooliganism abroad has been backed by MPs despite civil liberties concerns on all sides of the Commons.

The Football (Disorder) Bill was given a second reading by 206 votes to six.

But the Tories and Liberal Democrats want to see changes made in committee next week before the Bill goes to the Lords.

Labour MPs are also concerned at plans to give police the power to stop suspected trouble-makers from travelling abroad.

The move comes in the wake of disturbances involving England fans in the Euro 2000 tournament.

Who voted against the Bill?

Jeremy Corbyn (Lab Islington N)

Peter Bottomley (Con Worthing West)

David Davis (Con Haltemprice and Howden)

Douglas Hogg (Con Sleaford and North Hykeham)

Edward Leigh (Con Gainsborough)

Richard Shepherd (Con Aldridge-Brownhills)

But Home Secretary Jack Straw faces an uphill task to get the legislation on the statute book before the summer recess in two weeks' time.

A number of MPs, including some Labour backbenchers, have warned that stopping people from travelling, even if in the absence of convictions for football violence, breaches civil liberties.

The Tories stressed that any new legislation needs to be considered carefully because of the controversial nature of the plans.

Jack Straw wants swift legislation

Mr Straw responded by saying the tough new powers were aimed at tackling the "menace that this country now faces from English hooligans who go abroad and cause the kind of mayhem seen in Charleroi and Brussels".

Home Office minister of state Charles Clarke stressed that the government believed the Bill was consistent with European Convention on Human Rights.

"We believe it is important to be able to drive out this kind of international soccer hooliganism," he said.

"We are prepared to take the powers to do that, even though there is a violation of rights in the way that's been expressed in a variety of different ways."

Ann Widdecombe: "Clear civil liberties implications"

But Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn, who voted against the measure, said once the Commons had passed the powers for police officers to stop people travelling abroad, "where does it end?"

Shadow Home Secretary Ann Widdecombe said the Opposition would support appropriate legislation, but the Bill in its current form was not wholly satisfactory.

It contains several loopholes which need to be plugged, she said.

She stressed that further scrutiny was needed, particularly on the provision in the Bill which allowed banning orders to be made against people who had not been convicted of any criminal offence.

"It has clear civil liberties implications, on which there will have to be more substantial debate," she said.

Banning orders published

And Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Simon Hughes said they would support the Bill "if changes were made to the proposed extension of the banning order".

They would not support the Bill if it included the measure on summary detention and in that case would vote against it at third reading, he added.

The government's proposals are as follows:

• Known hooligans will be banned from matches at home and abroad
  
• Police will be able to prevent supporters whom they suspect of causing trouble from leaving the country
  
• Fans will be given the chance to challenge the ban at a magistrate's court within 24 hours of being stopped.
  
• The magistrate's order will prevent the suspects attending domestic matches for up to 10 years
  
• It can be upheld if there is evidence fans have behaved in a violent or abusive way at any time in the past.

Figures have just been published giving the numbers of fans of English clubs currently under restrictions or banning orders.

Leeds United fans, who have recently been involved in incidents with supporters of the Turkish club Galatasaray, have the worst record with 59 currently under restrictions.

The other Premiership clubs topping the table of banned fans are Chelsea (22), Sunderland (13), Tottenham (8) and Leicester (7).