This week Big Brother Watch launches our election manifesto – a list of achievable legislative pledges that would go some way to rolling-back the surveillance state; give the British people greater freedom to live their lives without state interference; and end the persecution of the law-abiding British family.
Britain is at a crossroads in privacy and liberty. In recent years, public opposition has seen the government defeated on 90 days detention, forced to make ID cards non-compulsory and a series of concessions made on large-scale state databases from the NHS Spine to ContactPoint. But these only scrape the surface of the widespread erosion in personal freedom that has occurred in the past decade.
The forthcoming election will be dominated by the rival parties’ plans for the economy. But if you are looking for dividing lines, few issues can be as stark in and across the political divide as the contrasting approaches to civil liberties.
Our manifesto is a list of all the unnecessary laws and overbearing rules that intrude into the lives of British people, and legislative reforms that could restore our freedom to a level befitting the World’s oldest democracy.
The list is by no-means exhaustive. To compile a complete inventory of all the laws we would like to see changed, scrapped and watered-down would require far more space than a manifesto should take, and be testing reading for those who are approaching the issue for the first time. Instead, we have used broad-strokes to outline our position on everything from the National Identity Register to the European Arrest Warrant.
We will hold any politician standing for election on 6th May to this manifesto. Few will agree with all our proposals. Some may agree with none. But, as Big Brother Watch moves into its eighth month, we felt it important that we set out the changes we would like to see made in Britain, whichever party or parties hold the keys to No.10 after the 6th May.
By Dylan Sharpe
Great. Where can I read BBW manifesto?
Posted by: LeChiffre | 06/04/2010 at 10:21 PM