Government slapped down over asset-freezing orders

12.00.00am GMT Fri 25th Apr 2008

Commenting on the High Court ruling that asset-freezing orders imposed by the Treasury under UN anti-terror laws are legally flawed because Parliament was bypassed, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

"A crucial difference between this country and a banana republic is that ministers are not allowed to go around arbitrarily arresting people or confiscating their property without due process under the rule of law.

"Not for the first time, Gordon Brown's Government has been found behaving like one of the worst Latin American juntas. Thankfully our judges have slapped them down as they deserve."