[Infowarrior] - UK fast-tracks Snoopers' Charter (ala Patriot Act, 2001)

[Richard Forno]

(Because ZMGTERRORISMEVERYWHERE.  --rick)

Tory government set to fast-track Snoopers’ Charter through parliament

by Kelly Fiveash - Feb 29, 2016 7:10am EST

Theresa May gives MPs only short time to debate draft Investigatory Powers Bill.

http://arstechnica.co.uk/tech-policy/2016/02/tory-government-set-to-fast-track-snoopers-charter-through-parliament/

Home Secretary Theresa May looks set to imminently introduce her draft Investigatory Powers Bill to MPs, just weeks after a lukewarm parliamentary report recommended a raft of modifications to the proposed law but—significantly—stopped far short of demanding that the Tory government must rip it up and start again.

Ars understands that the Home Office will reveal more about its plans later on Monday, after it was reported over the weekend that May would attempt to fast-track the bill by laying it before parliament on March 1.

According to the Independent on Sunday, which appeared to have been tipped off by Labour MPs, parliament will have a very short window to debate the IPB—colloquially dubbed a Snoopers' Charter—with a second reading chalked up for March 14, before reaching committee stage on March 22.

If the report is accurate, then a final parliamentary vote on the proposed legislation to massively ramp up surveillance of the online activity of British citizens—which, time and time again, has failed to worm its way on to the statute books—will take place at the end of April.

The Home Office declined to comment on this story when quizzed by Ars.

Labour's shadow home secretary Andy Burnham—who has previously fawned over May's proposals—indicated that his party would oppose any attempt by May to rush the bill through parliament.

Since the start of this year, three different parliamentarian reports have been published in which shortfalls in May's planned law have been flagged up. However, while concerns have been raised on topics as wide-ranging as bulk equipment interference (read: hacking) warrants, the potential costs to the tech industry in the UK, and judicial oversight, none of the reports have demanded a complete rewrite of the draft bill.

All of which has given May enough wiggle room to now move to quickly push the legislation through parliament. The Home Secretary told MPs only last week: "We are looking at all three of the reports from the science and technology committee, the intelligence and security committee, and the joint committee, and we will make revised bill proposals in due course."

Update

Late on Monday afternoon, the home office confirmed to Ars that the IP Bill will be published around lunchtime on Tuesday, March 1.

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