'Bill is beginning of the end of liberty'

Tony Blair's determination to press ahead with a new terror Bill has provoked a storm of protest from all sections of society, including the Church, the legal profession, showbusiness and the arts.

Tony Blair's determination to press ahead with a new terror Bill has provoked a storm of protest from all sections of society, including the Church, the legal profession, showbusiness and the arts.

A petition of 1,000 names, organised by the civil rights group Liberty, and published in The Independent today, calls on the Government to rethink its anti-terror policy.

It states: "We choose to live in a democracy that protects life, liberty and the rule of law. The Home Secretary is now proposing new laws to replace internment in prison with measures including house arrest at his discretion. This loss of liberty is to be based on his suspicion rather than proof before a court."

Many of those who have joined the campaign are concerned that the rush to legislation will have implications for civil rights for many years to come.

Peter Hitchens, the right-wing columnist and signatory to the petition, said: "Habeas corpus is a fundamental principle of liberty. The idea that the Government should simply be able to do away with it on its own fiat is the beginning of the end of liberty."

Among the signatories are 350 lawyers and five bishops, as well as dozens of well-known actors, directors and playwrights.

Mike Leigh, the director nominated in this week's Oscars for his film Vera Drake , joins the actor Sir Ian McKellen, the singer Peter Gabriel, the novelist Frederick Forsyth, the playwright David Hare and the jazz-funk DJ Mr Scruff in backing the declaration.

The actress Miriam Margolyes said: "Once you wiggle around with the basic and long-established freedoms of the public, you're very close to the totalitarian laws favoured by fascists."

The fashion designer Vivienne Westwood said: 'When I was a schoolgirl my history teacher explained the fundamental rule of law embodied in habeas corpus. He spoke with pride of civilisation and democracy. We can only take democracy for granted if we insist on our liberty."