Britain's Home Secretary stated that only a small minority of organizations consulted about the government's proposal to detain terrorism suspects for up to 42 days without charge are in support of it. Jacqui Smith defended the plans to a parliamentary committee, noting that only six out of 71 organizations fully support the proposal. Despite opposition from key figures like Director of Public Prosecutions Ken Macdonald and former Attorney General Lord Goldsmith, Smith has not discussed the proposals with them. Over the weekend, media reports mentioned that Jonathan Evans, the head of MI5, informed MPs privately that he would not support the new laws. Despite this, senior police officers, such as London Commissioner Ian Blair, have expressed their support for the extension. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith argued that the proposed laws were essential in allowing police more time to interrogate suspects in complex terrorism cases. She also emphasized that the laws would have safeguards in place, requiring approval from both parliament and a judge for any extension. When questioned by members of both the opposition and the government, Smith denied that the 42-day limit was established with political motives, but rather to ensure successful prosecutions. She stated at the hearing that there is a possibility in the future where someone could be released before evidence is gathered against them if the time limit remains at 28 days. Despite previously agreeing with critics that there was no need to extend the time, she changed her opinion due to the current climate of terrorism threats. She mentioned that if she and senior police are wrong about extending the time beyond 28 days, the extension would never be utilized. The announcement of the plans last week by Smith was unexpected and faced criticism from opposition parties, human rights groups, and some Muslim organizations. The strong opposition, including from some government MPs, suggests that Smith and Prime Minister Gordon Brown will encounter difficulty in passing the laws through parliament. This situation would resemble the difficulties faced by former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who experienced his initial defeat in the House of Commons in 2005 when he attempted to extend the detention period to 90 days.