Labour will today vote against a Tory scheme to change data rules
before a general election.
In the Data Protection bill the Tories have included new powers
which would enable them to bombard
voters with nuisance calls, spam emails and
targeted social media messages without their consent during an
election.
Minister revealed in a letter to
Labour that the powers would enable “switching off’’ direct
marketing rules in the run up to an election.
These powers were opposed in the public consultation on the bill
and described by the Information Commissioner as “an area in
which there are significant potential risks to people if any
future policy is not implemented very carefully.’’
Currently parties aren’t allowed to send emails; texts; picture
messages; video messages; voicemails; direct messages via social
media; and any similar message that is stored electronically to
individuals without specific consent, as this is considered
Direct Marketing under Privacy and Electronic Communications
Regulations.
Changing this rule governing the sending of electronic mail for
direct marketing purposes would transform UK elections.
This latest plot adds to the Tories catalogue of election fixing
and follows Jacob Rees-Mogg’s admission that voter ID policy
was designed to rig the rules to lock voters out.
, Labour’s Shadow Minister for
Digital, said:
“Any changes to elections should be done with public support, and
not for Tory party gains.
“The Government is trying to tear up the rules in a run up to an
election so they can bombard voters with calls, texts and
personalised social media messages without their explicit
consent.
“This is not what the public want. Labour would always put
the country first.''
Ends.
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