They were some of the most important barons in England and they'd had enough. The keepers at the gates of London opened in sympathy as they approached. There they captured King John and took him to an island and forced him to sign a document which was to form our common law.

As you have probably guessed, this document was the Magna Carta and one of the most significant facets of this document was a writ called Habeas Corpus (which translates as we demand that you have the body'). In essence, it meant that it was no longer possible to imprison a citizen of this country without trial.

This was in 1215. And 790 years later, in 2005, the Government tried to bring in new laws which would allow them to extend pre-charge detention to 90 days. In a rare moment of courage and common sense, most politicians voted against this. However, the government did succeed in extending pre-charge detention to 28 days.

A lot can happen in 28 days - as anyone who has seen the Danny Boyle film of the same title will confirm. You try going back to your home and family, to your job and your friends, after 28 days inside a police cell staring at a blank wall, and see how easy it is. I once spent just an evening in a police cell and I can confirm that time passes very slowly indeed in these places.

Right now, the Government is trying to extend the pre-charge detention time to 42 days. Britain already has the longest pre-charge detention in the world. In Canada, the time you can be held without charge is one day. In Russia it is five days. Even in America - that great nation of prohibition and restriction - it is only two days.

The government tells us that we are either with them or against them. We either support detention without charge or we support the terrorists.

I do not support terrorism, I do not support terrorists, but nor do I support the government. And I know that no legislation will protect me from a man with a bomb strapped to his chest. No law can make me safe from suicide mass-murder.

I went to see The Year of the Rat the other day with a friend of mine, currently playing at West Yorkshire Playhouse. It dramatises a few days in Orwell's life when he was finishing his great novel, 1984.

Now there's a man who knew what to be afraid of. What he was afraid of and what I'm afraid of are those in power. I was afraid of Tony Blair and now I am even more afraid of Gordon Brown.

There are alternatives. Have a look at Liberty's website at liberty-human-rights. org.uk. Sign up to their charge or release' campaign. Enter the streets of London, hunt down Gordon Brown, take him to an island and force him to... On second thoughts, just take him to an island and leave him there. We will all be a lot safer.

  • Michael Stewart is a Bradford-based playwright