Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has announced his party’s new Commission on Privacy, involving such champions of civil liberties as Shami Chakrabarti and Henry Porter.

“With Britain now among the most watched upon countries in Europe, there has never been a more vital time for proper scrutiny and protection of privacy.

“Under this increasingly authoritarian Government, a combination of intrusion and incompetence has resulted in the steady erosion of our right to privacy and the protection of our personal data.

“This is an exceptionally well-qualified team bringing together experts from a wide range of fields. I am confident that they will work to provide real solutions to check the growing threat to our privacy.”

I truly hope this commission is a genuine attempt to address these issues and come up with workable solutions, rather than a PR stunt.