Some are worried about returning to the bad old days with the Conservatives in power across the water. However, on the privacy front, the new coalition appears to be a lot more progressive than the last Labour government.
Take this extract from its agreed manifesto (I've emphasised the data retention pledge):
10. Civil liberties
The parties agree to implement a full programme of measures to reverse the substantial erosion of civil liberties under the Labour Government and roll back state intrusion.
This will include:
-- The scrapping of ID card scheme, the National Identity register, the next generation of biometric passports and the Contact Point Database.
-- Outlawing the finger-printing of children at school without parental permission.
-- The extension of the scope of the Freedom of Information Act to provide greater transparency.
-- Adopting the protections of the Scottish model for the DNA database.
-- The protection of historic freedoms through the defence of trial by jury.
-- The restoration of rights to non-violent protest.
-- The review of libel laws to protect freedom of speech.
-- Safeguards against the misuse of anti-terrorism legislation.
-- Further regulation of CCTV.
-- Ending of storage of internet and email records without good reason.
-- A new mechanism to prevent the proliferation of unnecessary new criminal offences
This may turn out to be guff. But, at least on paper, it's a lot better than the regime implemented by the last government.
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