CLEGG: YOU CAN TRUST US ON NET SNOOP LAWS
And the last time you gave us your word, Nick?
NEW snooping powers being introduced by the government will have the “highest possible safeguards” built in to protect civil liberties.
Unfortunately that promise was made by double-dealing Deputy PM Nick Clegg – who earlier campaigned AGAINST further snooping powers for government agencies.
And Clegg’s latest U-turn came just months after he voted to support a trebling of university tuition fees – even though he’d promised to SCRAP them if he got into government.
Speaking on the Radio 4 World at One programme, the slippery Deputy Prime Minister refused to elaborate on what the safeguards might be, insisting it was appropriate for the plans to be published first.
But the duplicitous Liberal Democrat leader said what was being discussed was a case of updating existing powers to take account of new technology – such as internet telephone service Skype – which he said criminals and terrorists could use to subvert surveillance laws already on the books.
Proposals
News of the proposals has sparked fierce opposition from civil liberties campaigners, including Tory MP David Davis.
Mr Clegg said: “I think it is important people hold off making their judgment until they see the proposals.”
Liberal Democrat MP Julian Huppert, who sits on the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: “Proposals to read exactly what we write in an email would, I think, be totally unacceptable.”
David Davis, Conservative former shadow home secretary had said the law change is not necessary.
“What is proposed is completely unfettered access to every single communication you make,” he said.