Responding to Keir Starmer’s plans to introduce bank spying powers, Big Brother Watch director Silkie Carlo expressed deep concern. Carlo stated that the proposed measures bear a striking resemblance to the powers that Labour opposed just a few months ago. While it is important to address fraud, Carlo emphasized that the government already possesses robust investigative powers to examine the bank records of suspects.
However, Carlo highlighted the potential dangers of mandating banks to surveil benefits recipients without any grounds for suspicion. This blanket surveillance not only threatens the privacy of millions of vulnerable individuals such as the disabled, pensioners, and carers, but also poses a risk of unwarranted monitoring of the entire population’s bank accounts.
Describing the proposed initiative as a “financial snoopers’ charter,” Carlo condemned it as intrusive, unjustified, and a potential source of mass injustice similar to the Horizon scandal. She characterized the proposal as an affront to pensioners, an attack on the poorest members of society, and a violation of the principle of innocence until proven guilty.
In light of the public backlash against the Conservative government’s previous attempt to implement mass bank spying powers, with 270,000 individuals signing petitions against the move, Carlo underscored the need to safeguard privacy rights. A legal opinion by Dan Squires KC of Matrix Chambers further reinforced the argument that such widespread surveillance would likely infringe on the right to privacy.
Moreover, a YouGov poll revealed that a majority of the public, 56%, opposed the bank spying powers under the Conservative government. Big Brother Watch played a pivotal role in leading the national campaign against these intrusive measures, collaborating with parliamentarians and rights groups to advocate for privacy protection.
As the organization remains vigilant in monitoring any attempts to reintroduce mass bank spying powers, they have pledged to relaunch a national campaign to defend privacy rights. In light of these developments, supporters are encouraged to contribute to Big Brother Watch’s efforts to uphold privacy and resist unwarranted surveillance.
