[graemep]

Even if that were true (its not IMO), its not the educated and unemployed who like this sort of legislation.

It is the security services, police, and civil service.

At the moment the weak leadership (useless PM) is giving them an opportunity to rush the politicians into stiff like this.

[hkt]

Back in the day this stuff was recognised. In 1983 Labour's manifesto pledged to abolish the secret services and that was part of the reasoning.

[graemep]

I the Labour party were more like they were in 1983 I would vote for them! Not to the extent of abolishing the secret services, maybe, but definitely more control.

I there has also been a change of mindset. Politicians (correctly) recognize that these people are the experts, but they seem to forget that their job is to weight up these opinions, ask questions, consult other experts, and apply the subjective judgements required to make trade offs (in this case security against privacy).

[hkt]

Same, it was a good era of Labour policy, regardless of what people say.

I don't think "experts" are always what they're cracked up to be. Partisan writers funded by anonymous third parties etc try to put themselves on a par with eg, university professors. Both groups like to ignore people's actual experiences too, preferring abstraction that misses key things.

Ultimately experts can't answer the question of what a good society looks like. Their job is to make it happen - if they're intellectually honest enough to try even when they don't agree with the starting point the politicians and electorate come up with.