Labour shadow minister Dan Carden resigns over spying bill

A Labour MP has resigned from the shadow frontbench over a bill to allow covert agents to break the law.

Former shadow financial secretary Dan Carden said he planned to go against the party whip so he could vote down the Covert Human Intelligence Sources Bill as "a matter of conscience".

In a letter to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, he said he feared the law would set "dangerous new precedents".

Labour MPs have been ordered to abstain when it returns to the Commons later.

The bill would explicitly authorise MI5, the police, the National Crime Agency and other agencies that use informants or undercover agents to commit a specific crime as part of an operation.

A number of Labour MPs have already voiced their concerns over the human rights implications of the legislation, as well as some Tory backbenchers, who believe it could impinge on people's liberty.

The Unite union has also criticised the bill, saying there was a "well-documented history of state surveillance of lawful trade union activity and justice campaigns in recent years" and it threatened their future.

In his letter, Mr Carden said he had followed the party's orders on previous votes over the bill, hoping he could "work constructively to shift the party's position towards opposing the bill" at its next stage, but it was "now clear that this has not been possible".

He added: "You will understand that as a Liverpool MP and trade unionist, I share the deep concerns about this legislation from across the Labour movement, human rights organisations, and so many who have suffered the abuse of state power, from blacklisted workers to the Hillsborough families and survivors."

Despite his resignation, Mr Carden said the Labour leader still had his "full support".

He said: "My focus now and in the months ahead will remain on representing my Liverpool Walton constituency and fighting for the people of my city as we face the huge challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. "