The Observer

By Richard Wachman

22 October 2006 

A crucial vote in the House of Commons this week could force amendments to the 2003 Extradition Treaty which makes it easy to extradite to the US British businessmen who are suspected of white-collar crime.

The act caused an uproar on this side of the Atlantic because the Americans are not required to produce prima facie evidence in the case of UK suspects, but the same laxity does not apply if Britain seeks extraditions from the US.

Business organisations complained bitterly in the case of the NatWest Three, who were extradited to the States earlier this year. There were similar objections when Ian Norris, former boss of UK engineering company Morgan Crucible was told he was to be charged in the States with price-fixing, a case highlighted by The Observer last week.

But now the CBI - headed by Richard Lambert, former editor of the Financial Times - with the Institute of Directors and civil liberties organisations, are writing to Labour MPs to urge them to vote with the opposition on Tuesday in a move designed to change the law.

By voting for amendments, suggested in the House of Lords to the Police and Justice Bill, MPs would scrap two flaws of the Extradition Act. If passed, British courts could refuse extradition of UK citizens accused of committing offences on British soil but which have repercussion in the US. And the US would have to revert to prove a prima facie case to support extradition requests.

It is understood that at least 30 Labour MPs could vote with the Tories and Liberal Democrats, so campaigners believe it could be a close-run thing.