Caroline has raised her concerns about what she calls the ‘cosy consensus on spying’ among politicians in Westminster. She is raising her concerns after the Government published the draft Investigatory Powers Bill, which has has labelled ‘deeply concerning’.

She said:

 “The cosy consensus on surveillance that appears to have taken hold in Westminster is troubling. Many of the aspects of this bill are deeply unsettling and need far more scrutiny – it’s crucial that politicians from all sides of the house don’t hide behind a false veil of bipartisanship when examining legislation that could have huge repercussions for the rights we hold dear in this country.

“Deeply concerning measures in this bill would allow the police and security services to have access to a huge amount of information without a warrant- allowing them to see which websites people have visited. In effect this piece of legislation aims to enshrine the mass surveillance exposed by Edward Snowden into law. The level of judicial oversight that’s been presented simply isn’t adequate.

“Furthermore these proposals would give the authorities more power than ever to hack into our computers and servers.  These powers would be available all police forces. Additionally this proposed law would oblige communication companies to assist with hacking warrants.

“National security must always remain a Government’s priority but, ultimately, blanket-surveillance and intrusion undermines that very security. Parliament must take its scrutinising role very seriously as this bill progresses over the coming months – it’s vital that we act to protect our hard won civil liberties.”

ENDS