Trevor Smith (Lord Smith of Clifton, Liberal Democrat spokesperson, Constitution & Northern Ireland): The continual drift towards authoritarianism since 1997 goes on. It is now revealed on this morning's Today Program that lawyers' meetings with their clients are routinely bugged - it is not just MPs. This government justifies this situation by a mixture of excuses: Ministers did not know about it; it's a matter for the police/Security Services; raison d'etat;we don't torture; we have no records of extraordinary rendition; and/or any other fatuous excuse that springs to mind.
It means that successive ministers since 1997 are either: a) fools, or b) knaves. A blatant and continuing disregard for the laws and conventions that safeguard liberal democracy has occurred with their connivance. All of our law officers, Lords Chancellors, Constitutional Secretaries, Home Secretaries and Prime Ministers appear to have collectively condoned, either by passive or active commission, a critical erosion of civil liberties in the UK. They should be held to account.
If they are not, the UK is in danger of emulating Pakistan! The lawyers will be up in arms protesting at Executive interference with the Courts and established legal safeguards. What next? Will HMG start dismissing judges?
