Bang goes the Wilson Doctrine

[Caspar Bowden]

The past two reports of the IoCC, and the past two IoCCs, have recommended =
scrapping the Wilson doctrine, on the grounds that they are such sound chap=
s that MPs should have nothing to fear from having their phones and e-mails=
 intercepted (unless they have something to hide) [paraphrasing slightly].

I used to think the Wilson doctrine was a Good Thing, but I've come to the =
conclusion not, but for different reasons than the IoCCs.

There are about five or ten MPs and roughly same number of Lords who have a=
 sustained concern on surveillance matters, and another twenty or thirty wh=
o might rebel against a whipped vote, on a hot night in June if the governm=
ent is unpopular. And that's it. Why?

Having talked to quite a few Parliamentarians over the years, I think it's =
a bit like trying to campaign for greater research funding for some dreadfu=
l disease, from a bunch of people who have the power and money, but also kn=
ow at the back of their minds that they enjoy a natural immunity from the d=
isease.

"Mmmm, appalling, frightful dangers" they say, but one can see the eyes beg=
inning to glaze and the wrist semi-rotating to glimpse their watch. It's be=
en like this for forty years since the Wilson doctrine was introduced. The =
HO would be crazy to scrap it, as it has been the single biggest reason for=
 Parliamentary insouciance at the onslaught of surveillance legislation tha=
t would have totally freaked out another other democratic legislature.

--
Caspar Bowden

-----Original Message-----
From: ukcrypto-admin@chiark.greenend.org.uk [mailto:ukcrypto-admin@chiark.g=
reenend.org.uk] On Behalf Of Ian Batten
Sent: 03 February 2008 08:19
To: ukcrypto@chiark.greenend.org.uk
Subject: Bang goes the Wilson Doctrine

If MPs are to have conversations with their constituents bugged,
without the agreement of the Home Secretary, on the sign-off of the
police acting alone, while all the Home Secretary can do himself is
flap about how it's unacceptable and he'll order and internal coverup,
whoops, investigation (to add to the fifty that have been already
launched under Brown), where do we all stand?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7224661.stm

ian