A shocking afront to democracy

Lord Charles Falconer, secretary of state for constitutional affairs and a close ally of Prime Minister Tony Blair, voiced some of his country's sternest criticism of the U.S. military camp during a speech to lawyers in Australia.

He said acceptance of the rule of law meant that courts must be able to exercise jurisdiction over the executive, otherwise the conduct of the executive would not be restrained by law.

"It is because of that basic principle that the United States of America, deliberately seeking to put the detainees beyond the reach of law in Guantanamo Bay, is so shocking an affront to the principles of democracy," Falconer said.

"Without independent judicial control, we cannot give effect to the essential values of our society."

Giving effect to such values was not only the morally correct position to take, Falconer said, but it was also "a vital part of providing security for our peoples".

"Without these values, what we are fighting for can get lost in the way we fight," he said.

Falconer says Guantanamo "a shocking affront"