UK House of Lords Rejects Anti-Terror Bill

Richard5mith writes "It looks like the UK House of Lord's still has some common sense left in them as the UK government scrambles to pass through anti-terrorism laws before Christmas in the wake of the Sep 11th tragedy. The BBC has the full story. They've already rejected seven parts of the new bill, including a part which would have allowed the state the right to commandeer private and personal information on the merest suspicion of a criminal offence unrelated to terrorism. The leader of the Conservative Lords said, 'Again the Lords has found a commonsense way forward - balancing the need for anti-terrorist powers with respect for civil liberties.' Long may it continue."

Comments

Re:anti-DPA

[julesh]

The DPA is sprinkled with caveats about it not being applicable where information is required to be kept/processed/disclosed in order to conform with any other law, so the two seem at least to my untrained eyes to be compatible, at least semantically speaking, if not in terms of their obviously opposing goals.

It should be noted however, that the current incarnation of the DPA was mandated into existence by European Parliament resolutions on data privacy, which may have force to overrule any new laws requiring such information to be kept & disclosed. Sometimes, those folks over the channel there do some things sensible. Even if they do make silly rules about straight bananas.