they were doing all of these things in the 1980s and 1990s, The only difference (other than technology) is that the government is actually admitting to doing so, in Thatchers and Majors day they just went ahead and did it without apology or filling in paperwork first – and it was people in activist groups what exposed it rather than the ministers openly discussing tactics.

Of course the surveillance was directed at “unpopular” groups such as squatters, travellers and drug users so normal people like Torygraph readers just sat back and let it happen or in some cases even welcomed it…. now they feel threatened by it for some reason they are whinging..