The final vote on the CHIS bill is scheduled for tonight.
People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin,
“The Covert Human Intelligence Sources Bill is a very dangerous piece of legislation being rushed through the House of Commons. Amnesty has described it as a “Licence to Kill” bill.
Human rights groups have argued the bill will allow police agents and informers to kill and torture with legal protection. Trade unions and campaigning organisations have opposed the legislation out of concern at how it will allow the police to disrupt organising and target individuals and families.
It will effectively legalise the type of police collusion with death squads that we’ve witnessed here.
Labour’s Keir Starmer is demanding Labour MPs abstain to allow the legislation through.- which means he’s effectively supporting it.
We have been very concerned at Foyle MP Colum Eastwood’s silence and unwillingness to publicly campaign against the legislation. It’s similarly the case with Alliance MP Stephen Farry whose party holds the Justice Ministry here. Neither MP has clearly opposed the Tories and called for Labour to take a clear position against the Spy Cops Bill.
If the Tories get their way this could have damaging repercussions here. We commend all those who have campaigned against the bill.”
