Tony Blair's statement to MPs on the terror attacks is on the Downings Street website. (Via thegovernmentsays.com.)
For those interested in whether or not the goevrnment is going to rush in any emergency powers, the key paragraphs are:
There is then the issue of further anti-terrorist legislation. During the passage of the Prevention of Terrorism Act earlier this year we pledged to introduce a further counter-terrorism Bill later in this session. That remains our intention. It will give us an opportunity, in close consultation with the police and the agencies, to see whether there are additional powers which they might need to prevent further attacks.
As to timing, my Rt Hon Friend, the Home Secretary, pledged to publish the Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny in the autumn with introduction in spring 2006, so that Parliament had time to digest the report on the operation of control orders produced by the independent reviewer, Lord Carlile. I do not currently see any reason to depart from that timetable.
However, that is subject to an important caveat. If, as the fuller picture about these incidents emerges and the investigation proceeds, it becomes clear that there are powers which the police and intelligence agencies need immediately to combat terrorism, it is plainly sensible to reserve the right to return to Parliament with an accelerated timetable.
... which sounds a bit like: 'Politically we do not want (to be seen to) to rush into anything, but the spooks will be calling the shots for a while.'
