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30 July 2015 / Nicholas Griffin KC
Issue: 7664 / Categories: Features , Public
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Spy cops under scrutiny

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Nicholas Griffin QC explores the scope & approach of the Pitchford Inquiry into undercover policing

Recently, there have been numerous and significant revelations about the way in which the state exercises its powers to spy on its own citizens. For its part, the government explains that we live in a time of terrorist threat and the law enforcement and spy agencies must be given the tools and powers they need to meet that threat. The result is that most of us are left wondering where the line between the competing interests of our security on the one hand and our privacy on the other should be drawn. 

Much of the media coverage has focused on the activities of the spy agencies in this country and in the US, particularly after the revelations of Edward Snowden. However, many of the same issues arise in connection with the activities of the police, including with the use of undercover officers who can gain access to our most private thoughts and information. It is now suggested

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NEWS
Restrictions on workplace non-disclosure agreements could make settlements slower, more complex and more expensive when reforms expected in 2027 take effect
Private prosecutors face closer scrutiny under Crown Prosecution Service guidance designed to strengthen accountability and consistency when intervention is requested
Foreign states cannot necessarily claim immunity for cyber operations launched abroad against computers in Britain, following a divided Supreme Court ruling
Defendants who make unsupported complaints about their lawyers risk losing legal aid while confiscation proceedings continue without representation
Lawyers advising Russian clients face different sanctions restrictions across the UK, EU and US, despite their shared objective of increasing pressure on Russia
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