Jacqui Smith was on the Today program earlier and was faced challenges that her proposals for detention for 42 days without trial only existed to cover hypothetical situations. Smith responded with, well, with something approaching… um…:

"It won’t be hypothetical if and when it occurs. We are not legislating
now on the basis that we are bringing it in now for something that
might happen in the future; we are bringing it in now for something
that might happen in the future; we are bringing in a position for if
it becomes unhypothetical. If, unfortunately I and many other experts
are right and we do need it in the future it is in place.
"

Suddenly I’m reminded of Donal Rumsfeld’s "unknown unknowns".

Hat Tip = LibDem Voice