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Terrorism Bill

My Lords, the noble Baroness has been on the end of two barrels from the Liberal Democrat Front Bench and it seems almost inhumane for me to fire at her from a different point in your Lordships’ House. I support the amendment of the noble Lord, Lord Goodhart, and I want to re-emphasise the two points that he made. First, given the fact that this test is contained in the most important parts of the Terrorism Bill, and as it runs right through this Bill—principally, but not only, because of the definition of ““terrorism”” contained in it—it plays back the principle of consistency that the noble Baroness deployed with such skill in the course of our discussion over Amendment No. 17. We should apply that principle to the question of the evidential burden. Secondly, the two offences to which the amendment would apply were it to be accepted are contained in Clauses 1 and 2 of the Bill. They are both offences which carry with them very stiff penalties; and that is an additional reason for adopting the amendment.