UK’s ‘Big Brother’ anti-terror strategy flawed, UN expert says

GENEVA: Britain is undergoing a subtle but alarming shift towards criminalising peaceful protest and free expression, said a UN report on Monday that likened it to a ‘Big Brother’ state of surveillance and suspicion.

The highly critical report covers many policies overseen by Prime Minister Theresa May in her prior role as home secretary, Britain’s interior minister, and comes 10 days before a general election that polls say May could win with a narrow majority.

The report, dated May 24, was drawn up before the May 22 suicide bomb attack that killed 22 people at a Manchester pop concert, and makes no reference to it. That attack has prompted an internal review of how Britain’s security services handle intelligence on suspects.

Britain’s MI5 had identified bomber Salman Abedi as a possible radical but did not have him under surveillance, a source told Reuters. It is highly unusual for authorities to confirm an internal probe into possible security service lapses.

Soon after the attack, Manchester police sources told Reuters they believed security in London — 250km to the south — had been prioritised while budget cutting in other cities saw police staff cut and career opportunities reduced.

A spokesman at Britain’s interior ministry declined to comment on the UN report, citing restrictions on the civil service during an election campaign period. — Reuters