Giant Stride towards a police state

4.00.00pm GMT Sat 9th Feb 2008

Commenting on reports that defence lawyers and their clients were routinely bugged during meetings at HM Prison Woodhill in a special 'bugging suite', Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

"The routine bugging of confidential discussions between a suspect and their lawyer is a giant stride towards a police state and a body blow to the fairness of the judicial process.

"Surveillance and snooping is now wholly out of hand and needs to be firmly brought back under proper judicial and political control if we are to restore traditional civil liberties.

"Such routine bugging is catastrophic for fair trials and counter-productive for public security. The rare cases of an imminent and major threat to public safety that would justify such bugging will now be rendered useless. Past convictions may now also be overturned on appeal.

"There must be a full independent judicial inquiry into the bugging of defendants. We will raise these issues vigorously in the Commons."