The British government outlined plans for new anti-terrorism laws today, vowing to get a consensus on measures which include allowing post-charge questioning and extending the time suspects can be held without charge.
Other proposals to be considered include looking at whether phone-taps could be used as evidence in court and giving police the power to stop and question the public on the street.
In a statement to parliament, British Home Secretary John Reid, adopting a more conciliatory approach than in the past, said he wanted to work with opposition parties on new legislation.
Both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats said they welcomed many of the plans, but repeated their concerns about the suggestion that the time suspects could be held without charge could be extended beyond the current 28 days.
Prime minister Tony Blair had to abandon an earlier bid to raise the detention period to 90 days after a Commons rebellion in 2005.
"Because I start from the position that it is desirable to reach a consensus on national security wherever possible, I want to ensure that there is extensive consultation before any legislation is introduced," Mr Reid said.
Shami Chakrabarti, director of civil rights group Liberty, described it as a mixed bag, welcoming the plan for post-charge questioning but opposing extending pre-charge detention.
"The line in the sand is, are you trying to bring terror suspects to justice ... or are you trying to continue with the approach of the Blair years with its constant exceptional measures that are about with dealing with people outside the rule of law," she told BBC television.
Conservative Home Affairs spokesman David Davis backed much of Mr Reid's statement, but indicated his party would continue to oppose any plan to extend pre-charge questioning of terrorism suspects beyond 28 days.
"Our priority must be to prosecute and convict terrorists, nothing less," he told parliament.
One measure that has almost universal support is for telephone intercepts to be used as evidence in court, a power that Britain is virtually alone in the Western world in not allowing.
Currently only "eavesdropping" information - gained by the police or security services from bugging suspects' homes or cars - is admissible in trials.
Such material played an important part in convicting five Britons in a major terrorism trial in April. The security services recorded them discussing possible attacks on the Bluewater shopping centre near London and the Ministry of Sound nightclub.