Cummings’ Data Plan Threatens UK Privacy Rights

Responding to reports about Dominic Cummings’ so-called “pro-tech” plan to re-write UK’s data protection laws, Jim Killock, Executive Director of Open Rights Group said:

“Any threat to our existing gold-standard data protection laws will have huge consequences for banking, health, entertainment, insurance and tech sectors. The future of tens of thousands of jobs and billions of pounds in trade must not rely on Dominic Cummings’ back of a fag packet plan to re-write our privacy legislation. 

“Selling British citizens’ privacy to American firms in the hope of securing a Free Trade Agreement with the Trump administration would be dangerous and delusional. Dominic Cummings fetish with big data doesn’t make him qualified to re-write UK’s data protection legislation. 

“Any lowering of UK’s existing data protection standards will risk co-operation with law enforcement agencies across Europe and will endanger UK’s ability to fight serious crime and keep its citizens safe.” 

ENDS 

Contact 

Al Ghaff 07951265812 / press@openrightsgroup.org  

Notes to the Editor

1. Report in the Guardian about Dominic Cumming’splan to re-write UK’s data protection laws: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/sep/25/dominic-cummings-data-law-shake-up-a-danger-to-trade-says-eu