New Government in Britain Promises Much Less Intrusion

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

Nick Clegg, Britain’s deputy prime minister, announced plans on Wednesday to limit the country’s web of surveillance programs, saying the new coalition government would abandon efforts to create identification cards and a national children’s database, and would impose limits on the storage of citizens’ D.N.A.

In a wide-ranging London speech that promised the “biggest shakeup of our democracy” in nearly 180 years, Mr. Clegg said the government would push ahead to reform the political system, establish fixed terms for Parliament and scrap the “quiet proliferation” of laws that eroded privacy and stifled dissenting voices.

“This government will end the culture of spying on its citizens,” Mr. Clegg said. “It is outrageous that decent, law-abiding people are regularly treated as if they have something to hide. It has to stop.”

Mr. Clegg’s speech offered a harsh criticism of the former Labour government, which was ousted in an election this month after 13 years in power. He accused Labour leaders of “obsessive lawmaking” that had limited personal freedoms.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/20/world/europe/20britain.html

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Clegg is a Liberal Democrat. But what's the American Democratic president done about the PATRIOT Act? Not much.

[Autumn]

1. What's the Democratic President done about the PATRIOT Act?

It's still here. And he supports it.

[LeftishBrit]

2. I'll believe all of that when I see it.

Tory governments are not in general noted for their love of civil liberties. Admittedly, this is only partly a Tory government; but RW Theresa May is Home Secretary, and I wouldn't trust her any further than I could throw her.

But I am glad that, at any rate, ID cards will be scrapped!