Jones calls for end to surveillance state
23 September 2009
Colwyn Bay
Clwyd West MP, David Jones, has called for action to reverse the advance of the surveillance state, which has grown considerably under Labour.
Speaking in his constituency, David Jones said that legislation enacted over the last twelve years had significantly eroded civil liberties:
“Labour’s approach to our personal privacy is the worst of all worlds – it is intrusive, ineffective and enormously expensive. Labour’s surveillance state and over-reliance on databases has exposed the public to greater risk, not less.
“There is understandable concern about the Government’s new Independent Safeguarding Authority. This scheme would force up to 11 million adults to be vetted and monitored, even if they just give lifts to children as part of a school run or local football club.
“Conservatives will roll back the surveillance state; we will do this by:
• scrapping the National Identity Register, which will contain personal details of every citizen;
• abolishing the Identity Cards that will accompany the database;
• ending the permanent retention of innocent people’s DNA on the National DNA database;
• preventing councils from using anti-terror laws to spy on local citizens; surveillance could only be used where necessary to stop a serious crime (involving a custodial sentence) and where a magistrates’ warrant has been obtained;
• subjecting all new laws to a new ‘privacy’ test, and beefing up the role of the privacy watchdog, the Information Commissioner.
“The civil liberties we enjoy in this country were hard won; the Conservative party will ensure that they are properly safeguarded.”
ENDS
03 September 2010