Snooping Bill drives first ISP abroad

A top ISP (Internet Service Provider) is threatening to pull its servers out of the UK if the government refuses to rewrite its controversial Snooping Bill.

Poptel - which provides net services for non-profit organisations such as trade unions and voluntary sector bodies - says the Bill must be withdrawn and rethought.

Shaun Fensom, chairman and founder of the ISP, said: "Industry, civil liberties groups, trade unions and many others believe that this Bill is fatally flawed. We are concerned that under the proposed regulatory regime we will not be able to guarantee the integrity of communications for our clients, particularly trade unions, NGOs and others who may legitimately come into conflict with the government."

According to Fensom, if the Bill is not withdrawn, "We will have no alternative but to actively look at moving at least some of our services overseas."

Sarah Veale, employment policy officer at The Trades Union Congress (TUC), one of Poptel's largest customers, said: "It would be quite easy for unions to hook up with a provider which can guarantee email won't be intercepted."

The TUC represents 70 trade unions with almost seven million members. A spokesman for the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU): "We would certainly want to be assured that in legitimate industrial disputes this would not infringe on the civil liberties of members of the union." He added that the if the TUC re-located its email services outside the UK, the TGWU would follow suit.

Simon Davies, director of campaign group Privacy International, said trade unions will need to be careful about Internet use if the Bill is passed. "If you combine the 'common purpose' clause with allowing the security services to trawl domestic communications, you are setting a very worrying precedent," he said.

Chris Bailey, spokesman for 'ethical' ISP GreenNet, said it is in talks with Poptel about also moving its servers abroad. "It's early stages," he said, "but it's certainly being considered." Bailey added that Ireland would be a likely location.

On Thursday evening the government announced a series of amendments designed to appease civil rights protestors. A spokesman for the Home Office said he was disappointed by Poptel's reaction. "The powers of interception are only directed at those suspected of involvement in a threat to national security, a threat to the economic well being of the nation or involvement in serious organised crime," he said.

"We urge them to examine the face of the Bill again," the spokesman added.

The Home Office is expected to release a draft proposal for a RIP 'code of practise' in the next few days.