Rebels see terror arrest proposals put on hold

Controversial Home Office plans to put British and foreign terror suspects under house arrest are set to be shelved until after the general election, it emerged today.

Government whips have been warned that they face a major backbench rebellion by Labour MPs, as well as a cross-party alliance between the Liberal Democrats and Tories. The hastilydraftedplans would face a struggle to get through the Commons and the House of Lords.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke came up with the proposals in the wake of a court ruling that holding foreign suspects in Belmarsh prison breached their human rights. But some fellow Cabinet ministers are concerned by the idea of detaining British citizens without trial.

Under the plans, Mr Clarke could personally order that someone should be put under house arrest, a move that Labour MPs have denounced as similar to human rights breaches in South Africa and Burma.