MPs Back Bill to Authorise Mi5 and Police Crimes

London: MPs have backed the latest stage of a bill to allow undercover agents to commit crimes on operations. The government says the legislation will give a “sound legal footing” for those who work to “protect the public”. But backbenchers are divided over the implications for human rights and civil liberties, and many have concerns over if the right safeguards are in place. Former Tory minister David Davis has warned the bill could “impinge on innocent people”. During a debate on the bill, shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said Labour would not oppose it at this stage. But he said the party would “seek to improve [it] on the vital issue of safeguards, so the public can have confidence in the process and our law enforcement bodies can carry out that vital work of keeping us all safe”. However, a number of Labour MPs were expected to break party orders to abstain on the vote, with both Apsana Begum and Zarah Sultana tweeting to say they would vote against it. Speaking in the Commons, Ms Begum said: “There is a grave, serious and very real danger [the bill] could end up providing informers and agents with a license to kill.”

Read more: BBC News, https://is.gd/1Z6bYt