From Rational to Irrational in One Easy Meeting

This morning, someone at the very heart of our government was talking sense about extending the 28 day detention limit. At 8am this morning Admiral Lord West, the security Minister, stated:

"I want to have absolute evidence that we actually need longer than 28 days. I want to be totally convinced because I am not going to go and push for something that actually affects the liberty of the individual unless there is a real necessity for it."

And also:

"I still need to be fully convinced that we absolutely need more than 28 days and I also need to be convinced what is the best way of doing that."

How wonderfully sensible. How unprecedented for someone at the heart of the Nu Labour government to want to see evidence before suggesting policy, rather than replying on hysteria and knee-jerk draconian reponses that hopefully play well with the readership of The Sun. Lord West should be praised for his sage approach to security in this country.

Except, he has very suddenly changed his mind:

"I am quite clear that the greater complexities of terrorist plots will mean that we will need the power to detain certain individuals for more than 28 days."

And:

"The Government would be failing in its responsibility to protect national security if we waited until we needed more than 28 days to act."

Oh dear. From rational and logical in one moment to completely irrational and completely illogical in the next. And what caused the change?

According to the BBC:

"But then at 0930, after a half-hour meeting with Mr Brown, the peer told the BBC he was "personally convinced" that the 28-day limit needed extending."

So there we have it. West went from rational to irrational after a meeting with our dear Prime Minister. Proof that meeting our PM can make a normal man hysterical. And that the drab drip in No 10, Downing Street, can change that man from a position of respecting liberty to restricting freedom in just 30 minutes.

I wonder what the PM said to cause such a dramatic turnaround?

UPDATE:

The BBC is now reporting that West has explained his u-turn in the following way:

"(I'm a) simple sailor and not a politician I didn't choose my words very well".

Allow me to pose these two wee questions: if West is just a "simple sailor" then what the ruddy fuck is the total fucking cunt doing as Security Minister? And why the shitting hell has the slack-jawed fucktard been put in a position where he can make crucial goddamned choices that affect civil liberties in this Christing country?

Just asking is all.