What is the Wilson Doctrine?

Last Modified: 04 Feb 2008
By: Channel 4 News

Allegations of the bugging of a senior MP means we'll be hearing much about the 'Wilson Doctrine' over the coming days. But what exactly is it?

Reports over the weekend claimed Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist squad had secretly recorded conversations Labour MP Sadiq Khan had while meeting a member of his constituency while in prison.

Babar Ahmad was awaiting deportation to the US at Woodhill prison for trial over allegeldly running a website to raise funds for Chechen separatists and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

He met the Mr Khan, a childhood friend, and it's claimed by the Sunday Times that a microphone hidden in a table recorded conversations they had in 2005 and 2006.

If true, it breaches the long-standing 'Wilson Doctrine'.

Back in 1966...

The Wilson Doctrine was first laid out by Prime Minister Harold Wilson in 1966. It followed a spate of scandals involving alleged telephone bugging of MPs during both his government and previous governments.

'I felt that it was right to lay down the policy of no tapping of the telephones of Members of Parliament'
Prime Minister Harold Wilson, 17 Nov 2008

Mr Wilson finally resolved to put the matters to rest when answering questions to the House on 17 November 1966. He declared:

"I reviewed the practice when we came to office and decided on balance -- and the arguments were very fine -- that the balance should be tipped the other way and that I should give this instruction that there was to be no tapping of the telephones of Members of Parliament."

"I felt that it was right to lay down the policy of no tapping of the telephones of Members of Parliament."

There was an argument then, as now, that matters of security might need to take precedence:

"But if there was any development of a kind which required a change in the general policy, I would, at such moment as seemed compatible with the security of the country, on my own initiative make a statement to the House about it."

A modern ban for modern times?

Successive Prime Ministers have adhered to the doctrine and in March 2006 Prime Minister Tony Blair was asked by Sir Swinton Thomas, Interception of Communications Commissioner, to abolishing the doctrine. Mr Thomas was highly critical of the doctrine saying:

"The doctrine means that MPs and peers can engage in serious crime or terrorism without running the risk of being investigated in the same way as any other member of the public,"

"It is fundamental to the constitution of this country that no one is above the law or is seen to be above the law. But in this instance MPs and peers are anything but equal with the rest of the citizens of this country and are above the law.

'In this instance MPs and peers are anything but equal with the rest of the citizens of this country and are above the law'
Sir Swinton Thomas, Interception of Communications Commissioner

However Tony Blair decline Mr Thomas' arguments and said in writing:

"I have considered Sir Swinton's advice very seriously, together with concerns expressed in this House in response to my written ministerial statement on 15 December. I have decided that the Wilson Doctrine should be maintained."

There have since been successive calls from MPs in the house to clarify the exact nature of the Wilson Doctrine - expressed at the time to ban telephone bugging - and how far it extends in today's world of emails, faxes, PDAs and more general covert surveillance.