Investigatory Powers Bill was “a rush job”

The Bar Council has dismissed Home Secretary Theresa May’s Investigatory Powers Bill as “a rush job”.

It warned the new surveillance law, published this week, would allow authorities total access to confidential, legally privileged communications between individuals and their lawyers, even when someone is in a legal dispute with the government or defending themselves against prosecution. It accused the government of ignoring the explicit recommendations of a cross party scrutiny committee for statutory protection to be included in the Bill.

Chairman of the Bar Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC says: “The Bar Council is disappointed that the Bill introduced to Parliament today does not provide sufficient protection for legal privilege on the face of the Bill.”