'Life means life' legislation under fire

BRITISH Home Secretary David Blunkett's historic changes to the way murderers are sentenced were attacked yesterday for interfering with judges' independence.

Ministers denied they had set themselves on a collision course with the judiciary by proposing a rigid system of "life means life" sentences and 30-year minimum terms for the most serious killers.

But critics accused Mr Blunkett of trying to tighten his grip "around the neck of the judiciary".