The Wardman Wire

Sometimes enough really is enough. If we hadn’t reached the point already, then this morning’s “spit your cornflakes out moment” is the Communications Data Bill. Even the government’s terror watchdog thinks this is just too much. The Bill proposals include a giant database to store details of all phone calls, e-mails and internet use made by each and every one of us.

Now I don’t consider myself to be particularly liberal on terror laws or so called government snooping. I have no problem with CCTV – in fact I think it is a good thing. I don’t mind if private firms are watching me on their property or the public sector bodies are watching us on public transport or town centres. I even don’t have a particular problem with the principle of ID cards – I just don’t see the point in spending £12bn on them. I also see the need for powers on tracking mobile phones and tapping calls or bugging homes. But there has to be a good reason. A damn good reason. Simply being a citizen of the United Kingdom is not a damn good reason. In fact is bloody awful reason.

The fact is I wouldn’t mind so much if I could trust the government not to misplace the data. Or, more to the point, not use such emotive rhetoric when in reality you can bet your bottom dollar the stated purpose of these initiatives and laws creep well beyond the remit of tackling terrorism. Because of this creep I am becoming more and more cynical due solely to the misuse of these so called terrorism powers.

We’ve had people walking on cycle paths arrested under terrorism laws, we’ve had Walter Wolfgang our very own 85 year terrorist (crime: he shouted nonsense to Jack Straw). There have been arrests of demonstrators at Heathrow airport – demonstrating against a third runway! Only last week Gordon Brown used terrorism laws to suspend Icelandic assets. In all there have been well over 1000 people arrested under terrorism laws – with only 40 convictions. Now I dare say many of these were correct and proper arrests… but only 4% actually proving to be associated with terrorist activity? Hmmm.

I am all for the government tightening up on a few civil liberties in the name of protecting us from terrorism. But they have a duty not to misuse these powers. Up to now they have misused these powers dreadfully. But Lord Carlile, the government-appointed reviewer of anti-terror legislation has said of the latest proposals “As a raw idea it is awful.” He also added “it should not be open season” on collecting data, under the mantle of fighting terrorism – implying that this Bill is open season.

This piece of legislations is unnecessary and it stinks. The government can already spy on suspected terrorists, why should the rest of be suspects too? Somehow and somewhere we need to find a balance between what laws are genuinely there to protect the public and what laws are being used outside this remit. We also need to define what protecting the public actually means and how far we should be going to do this.  In short we need to ensure that terrorism laws are used for just that - fighting terrorism.  Any policeman or government agency using these laws for any other purpose must be dealt with by the courts.

We all say and do things with friends that we might regret or that could be taken out of context if heard by the public or maybe even the government. And we all have private conversation with friends and loved ones that are, quite frankly, no one else’s business whatsoever. Who knows, taken out of context this blog post could be interpreted as a threat.

Jacqui Smith is outlining the proposals to the Commons later today.