Call Clegg began with a question on the retention of communications data, with a supplementary of whether this is one of those things that can be blamed on the EU.
Nick was very clear that this law is just to underpin the maintenance of existing arrangements for data retention, as have been applied for many years, and not extending them. That the ECJ had struck down the EU Data Retention Directive, was a reasonable exercise of the checks and balances of a mature way of making decisions but left data retention without a legal framework.
Second on electronic devices at the airport the question was whether it was right to announce security requirements at airports, rather than, presumably attempt to surprise anybody who might bring a bomb disguised as a laptop. But people planning to disguise bombs as laptops would probably find out anyway that laptops were being checked, so the policy might as well be announced for the convenience of travellers.
Then a question on how Britain should deal with Israel and Palestine. People on both sides understand that in the long run the only way to achieve security, is through peace. Those on one side who won’t recognise Israel’s right to exist, and those on the other who think a permanent military solution is possible, are just plain wrong.
In response to an email from Mike in Dartford on Vince and the Royal Mail, Nick observed that a lot of people were showing a lot of wisdom with hindsight. This segment degenerated into some sort of bet on the future share price of Royal Mail, with mortgages involved.
Paulette in Sutton asked about the provision of gastric bands and bypasses on the NHS. This is a consultation by NICE, actually about type 2 diabetes rather than weight loss, suggesting these interventions may help to manage that condition.
Final question was whether Nick thinks there has been a cover up of senior establishment figures engaged in paedophilia. Nick, like the rest of us, doesn’t know – this is why we need an enquiry.
Finally after a mixed record of predicting World Cup match results, Nick is predicting that Germany will win the final 3-1. No mortgages bet on this one.
You can see the whole thing on YouTube.
* Joe Otten was the candidate for Sheffield Heeley in June 2017 and Doncaster North in December 2019 and is a councillor in Sheffield.
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4 Comments
Data retention and Royal Mail – now there’s an idea! Why did the Liberal Governments of the past not require the Royal Mail to retain a record of every letter posted, from whom, to whom, time of posting, etc. Think of all that terrorism that could have been prevented!
Surely there’s a misunderstanding here about data retention. It’s not just phone records, for which there is a business reason for retention, but also ISP/email for which there isn’t.
Dear oh dear, I never thought the LibDems would actually promote totalitarian legislation. Legislation that Europe’s highest court has ruled incompatible with the ECHR and the HRA.
It’s not even “We got this review for it”,
And then there’s the lie about not extending the already-totalitarian retention. It’s being extended to the likes of Google, Facebook etc. It may be extending the types of data which can be retained. It may be extending the duration of retention. It may even be allowing mass harvesting of data by the Govt instead of individual records as in the struck-down EU legislation.
Why didn’t Nick mention the illegal Israeli settlements? Should the Palestinians accept that Israel can flout International Law? How would we react in their position?