Over the last several years we have witnessed a huge growth in the invasion of our privacy and civil liberties in the UK, most of which has bee carried out under the guise of anti-terrorism or crime and disorder.Every other week it seems that a new draft proposal is put forward to limit the rights of individuals to go about their daily business.

Be it detention without charge, replacement of trial by jury or the governments suggestion that it may appointment its own coroners to special cases. All in the publics interest of course.We all know that we can expect to be monitored via CCTV virtually anywhere in our towns or cities. Conversations to companies are routinely monitored by the companies themselves and by whoever else we are not told about.

Driving more than half a mile in this country will result in passing more than a dozen road signs and the ubiquitous “Safety Camera”So it should come as no surprise to a member of parliament that they are bugged whilst carrying out their duties. As has been stated in earlier reports, it apparently is quite normal for visiting rooms in prisons to be bugged for the general populous, so why should it cause such consternation amongst MP’s.

Or are they saying that the laws that they propose, scrutinise and place on the statute book are only meant for less honourable members of the public?

BBC NEWS | Politics | Police ‘took MP bugging decision’: “Last Updated: Monday, 4 February 2008, 13:43 GMTPolice ‘took MP bugging decision’Sadiq Khan has welcomed Justice Secretary Jack Straw’s inquiryA decision to bug a conversation between a Labour MP and his constituent was taken by a Thames Valley Police officer, the BBC understands.It follows claims counter-terrorism officers secretly recorded discussions between Tooting MP Sadiq Khan and a constituent he was visiting in jail.[tags]BBC[/tags] Political Editor Nick Robinson says ministers were not consulted and Mr Khan was not the target of the bugging.Justice Secretary [tags]Jack Straw[/tags] is to make a Commons statement at 1530 GMT.He has ordered a probe into the claim, which if true would breach a 40-year-old anti-bugging code………………..(Via .)

BBC NEWS | Politics | Police ‘took MP bugging decision’