The Labour Party staged a major revolt to cut British prime minister Tony Blair's huge majority as proposed anti-terrorism laws barely scraped through parliament.
Rebellious Labour MPs joined the opposition in condemning the proposed change in the law as draconian, reducing the government's 159-seat majority in the House of Commons to just 53.
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Home Secretary Charles Clarke, bowing to widespread opposition to the bill, offered a concession yesterday - that any government "control order" to place a terror suspect under house arrest would require the approval of a judge, although police could hold the suspect pending the judge's ruling.
Until now, Mr Clarke has insisted that the power to place suspects under house arrest should rest with ministers, not the judiciary.
But Mr Blair said he would not back down on the basic principle behind the bill - that there must be measures between merely monitoring suspects and prosecuting them in court, which would require evidence "beyond reasonable doubt".
Mr Blair's anti-terror legislation may be halted this week in the unelected upper chamber, the House of Lords, where Labour lacks a majority and opposition is fierce.
"There are several hundred of them in this country who we believe are engaged in plotting or trying to commit terrorist acts," Mr Blair told BBC Radio. "I can't make a concession on the basic principle because that would be to ignore the advice I am being given."
Mr Blair wants to rush the legislation through parliament and onto the statute books by March 14th, when current anti-terrorism powers expire.
Analysts say he is on course for a third election win, but a newspaper poll last week said his double-digit lead over the main opposition Conservative Party had been cut to just two points.