The UK government is planning a massive database containing the records of all phone and email traffic to and from the UK, with the option to outsource its creation and maintenance being considered.

So much intrusion, inconvenience and restriction is done in the name of “security”, including the decision by US auto executives to travel to Washington by private jets. It is a get out clause that is washed across attempts to intrude into our lives by governments and their agencies in the belief that no further questions will be asked after the security card has been played.

It seems the government has learned nothing from the several incidents where governmental departments and their third party suppliers have misplaced or lost private data, even sending CDs containing data by regular mail. Storing the details of pretty much every piece of communication you have had with anyone would be impossible to manage securely.

Why would the government be so happy to put such data in the hands of agency staff, always open to being bought by criminals looking for sensitive information in phone calls and emails? Because it will never impact the people who make the decisions. They think it is fine to expose the voters to the risk of having their data sold or lost but you can guarantee that the politicians will work some immunity for themselves.