Even after cabinet demotion, Hoon still can't escape blame over rendition

1.13.24pm GMT Tue 23rd Jan 2007

Sarah protesting with Amnesty International against torture flights outside 10 Downing Street

Commenting on the adoption by a comfortable majority at committee stage (28 to 17, 3 abstentions) of the final report of the European Parliament's temporary committee on CIA extraordinary rendition, the Liberal Democrats' European Justice Spokeswoman and committee vice-chair Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP said:

"Liberal Democrats' successful call for follow-up action to determine if EU governments should be sanctioned for human rights is a significant strengthening of the report."

"Geoff Hoon's actions in failing to cooperate with this investigation, no doubt borne out of a sense of panic as he was Defence Secretary whilst many of these events took place, have rightly been censored in this report, including by his Socialist group allies. Even the British Labour MEP present at the vote joined the condemnation, which will no doubt bring Labour party whips to pursue him for deviation from the no.10 line."

"The Conservatives, meanwhile, by voting against this report despite clear and incontrovertible evidence that EU governments including the UK gave support to abductions and torture, continue to undermine Mr Cameron's attempts to paint themselves as a new, caring party sensitive to human rights and civil liberties."