Unitarians highlight civil liberties concern
The Draft Communications Data Bill has raised concerns
Unitarians in Britain have called on religious and faith leaders to join them in highlighting the dangers to civil liberties of the Draft Communications Data Bill. The proposed legislation would allow government access to all private emails, texts, mobile phone and internet use. Unitarians argue that this would be ‘a gross violation of the rights of privacy and civil liberty’.
Derek McAuley, Unitarian chief officer, said: ‘Unitarians have always been sceptical of the argument that “those who don’t break the law have nothing to fear” when used to justify legislation that interferes with the lives of individuals’.
He urged religious bodies to think carefully about the implications of the Draft Communications Data Bill.
‘For Unitarians’, he explained, ‘religious and civil liberties have always gone hand in hand. The rights of the individual need to be respected in both spheres and we support personal freedom drawing upon longstanding views of the right of individuals to live their lives without disproportionate government interference. These proposals go too far. We hope other religious bodies will join us to highlight the dangers.’
