Wilson Doctrine
The Wilson Doctrine is a ban on the tapping of UK MPs' and Peers' (but not members of devolved legislatures) telephones introduced in 1966 and named after Harold Wilson, the Labour Prime Minister who established the rule.
Introduction
Following a spate of scandals involving alleged telephone bugging of MPs Mr Wilson gave a pledge to MPs that their phones would not be tapped:
I reviewed the practice when we came to office and decided on balance - and the arguments were very fine - that the balance should be tipped the other way and that I should give this instruction that there was to be no tapping of the telephones of Members of Parliament.—Harold Wilson, House of Commons
However the pledge was qualified in two respects, as the Intelligence and Security Committee made clear in their 2005-06 Annual Report:[1]
But if there was any development of a kind which required a change in the general policy, I would, at such moment as seemed compatible with the security of the country, on my own initiative make a statement to the House about it.—Harold Wilson, House of Commons
This meant that the Prime Minister could reverse the doctrine in the interests of national security, but that he did not need to reveal the fact to the House of Commons until he felt it safe to do so. In theory this means that the Wilson Doctrine could already have been reversed, with the Prime Minister having decided it was premature to disclose the fact.
Re-assessment
Subsequent prime ministers have regularly confirmed that the ban remains in place, but in January 2006, the then Interception of Communications commissioner The Rt Hon. Sir Swinton Thomas asked the government to reconsider the implications of the doctrine on the regulatory framework established under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. Prime Minister Tony Blair confirmed he would be considering whether or not the ban should be lifted, in order to comply with the act.
However, in March 2006 - in a written ministerial statement - Tony Blair said that following a period of fresh consultation, he had decided the 'Wilson doctrine' will remain in place.[2]
In February 2007, Sir Swinton Thomas again called for the ban to be removed,[3] saying:
It is fundamental to the constitution of this country that no one is above the law or is seen to be above the law. But in this instance, MPs and peers are anything but equal with the rest of the citizens of this country and are above the law"
In September 2007 Prime Minister Gordon Brown reaffirmed the doctrine as "The Wilson Doctrine applies to all forms of interception that are subject to authorisation by Secretary of State warrant."[4]
Sadiq Khan MP
In February 2008 it was reported that Sadiq Khan had been bugged whilst talking to a constituent in Woodhill Prison. However since this appeared to have been a face-to-face conversation, even if it was bugged, it may not have been a literal breach of the Wilson Doctrine. An inquiry was launched by Justice Secretary, The Rt Hon. Jack Straw MP.[5]
Further questions about the validity of the Doctrine arose in November 2008 after the home and Parliamentary offices of Damian Green MP were searched by the Metropolitan Police.[6] Other questions in the Lords asked whether communications which had been stored were protected by the same doctrine.[7]
See also
- Harold Wilson conspiracy theories
- Spycatcher, a book alleging some staff of MI5 plotted against Harold Wilson's government
References
- ↑ Interception of Communications Commissioner, Report of the Interception of Communications Commissioner for 2005-2006, HC 315 SE/2007/17, retrieved 2009-01-12
- ↑ Tony Blair (30 March 2006). "Wilson Doctrine". Hansard. UK Parliament. 30 Mar 2006 : Column 95WS. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
- ↑ Richard Norton-Taylor (2007-02-20). "Watchdog urges end to ban on MP phone taps". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2008-02-04.
- ↑ Gordon Brown (12 September 2007). "Members: Surveillance". Hansard. UK Parliament. 12 Sep 2007 : Column 2103W. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
- ↑ Bell, Thomas (2008-02-04). "Police 'took MP bugging decision'". London: BBC News. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
- ↑ Andrew Mackinlay, Written Answers for 8 December 2008 Prime Minister Damian Green (– Scholar search), Hansard, 8 Dec 2008 : Column 12W, retrieved 2008-12-08
- ↑ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer, Members of the House: Police Access — Question, Theyworkforyou.com, 8 Dec 2008 : Members of the House: Police Access — Question, retrieved 2008-12-08
External links
- Ban on phone tapping MPs remains, BBC News
- MP phone tap ban 'may be lifted', BBC News
- No 10 denies MP 'bugging' tip-off, BBC News, Feb 2008
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