I'd love to be able to say "I don't be-lieeve it!" to this, but our wonderful MEPs have just voted for Big Brother. Are they completely and utterly barking mad? I'd have thought that, at the very least, their own "enlightened self-interest" would have let them realise that they don't get a free pass from this sort of surveillance. Okay, maybe they can avoid having their dirty laundry washed in public while they're in power (if they really clamp down on leaks and whistleblowing), but one fine day they're going to lose out in the political lottery, and then someone, somewhere is going to start digging up stuff.

On the other hand, maybe this is the beginning of a Noble Experiment, with politicians who are too honest to have any reason to fear a permanent electronic phone-tap. In which case, can we have our Freedom of Information Act back, please?

Update: Of course, if they're planning to never lose out in said political lottery....