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Sturgeon To PM: Are You Spying On Me?

Sturgeon To PM: Are You Spying On Me?

Nicola Sturgeon has asked the Prime Minister if he has been spying on members of the Scottish Parliament.

Her request for confirmation comes after it emerged there had been a rule change allowing the Government’s listening post GCHQ to monitor MSP's communications.

The Scottish First Minister has written to David Cameron asking him whether any communications from MSPs have been intercepted.

According to documents seen by the Daily Record newspaper, MSPs had previously been included in the Wilson doctrine, set up by the former Labour prime minister and which banned the tapping of politicians phones. It was later applied to emails.

However, new guidelines issued last month say: "The doctrine does not apply to... the interception of communications of Members of the European Parliament or devolved assemblies."

Ms Sturgeon said Holyrood had not been consulted on the change and in her letter she wrote: "I am sure you will agree with me that, excepting truly exceptional circumstances involving national security, the confidentiality of communications between parliamentarians and their constituents is of the utmost importance.

"I am sure you will also agree that it is just as important for MSPs as it is for MPs. This principle of confidentiality is what the 'Wilson doctrine' was introduced to protect.

"You will therefore understand my concern at suggestions in the Daily Record and elsewhere - reportedly supported by documentation shown to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal - that, while GCHQ had been applying the Wilson doctrine to the communications of MSPs, that is no longer the case."

Scottish Labour's acting leader Iain Gray MSP said: "It is utterly unacceptable for the communications between devolved representatives across the UK and their constituents to be monitored by GCHQ."

It comes after Green Party politicians claimed their communications were being intercepted by GCHQ. The Investigatory Powers Tribunal is hearing the case.