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# John Major v Matthew d'Ancona
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/john-major-v-matthew-dancona/
- Published: 2008-06-16T11:06:24.000Z
- Updated: 2019-02-14T22:40:50.000Z
- Author: ourKingdom editors
- Tags: #en, #Migrated, #Import 2026-04-09 18:41

This letter from John Major appeared in yesterday's Sunday Times:

*Mathew d'Ancona quotes me as believing "a siege society once in place, will be difficult to dismantle". The quote is correct, but not the context. I did not refer solely to the 42 days pre-charge detention, but also to the establishment of a compulsory ID card system, a national DNA Database, and powers given to the police to permit them to bug homes and cars without the sanction of a High Court judge.*  

*The 42 day extension (if it becomes law) may be easily reversible, but does Mr d'Ancona really believe that is true of ID cards and the DNA database. I do not. I doubt, too, that the new powers given to the police will readily be surrendered. No single part of the package exceeds the internment of the 1970s, but the collective impact - since much of it is intended to be permanent - most certainly does.*  

  
*Fortunately, a more balanced judgement was to be found in your leading article "A stronger case is needed for the denial of liberty".*

Right on John! Hat-tip [Glyn Davies](http://glyndaviesam.blogspot.com/?ref=opendemocracy.net).