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Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Bill

Not for the first time in my political life, I am absolutely bemused by the attitude of the Liberal party. Is the noble Lord seriously suggesting that he will divide the Committee on an amendment when we have had a discussion whose main feature has been comity across the party lines and consensus? Does he not consider that this is emergency legislation? Does he also not consider that if his amendment were passed—I do not think that it will be; he does not think that it will be either, in which case it is an exercise in demonstration rather than anything else—it would have to go down the other end again and come back up here? We might even be playing ping-pong between the Houses when this is urgent legislation which everybody is agreed is needed. The noble Lord would be doing himself and his party a grave disservice, let alone that which he would be doing to the country.