Two British members of Parliament (MPs) are challenging...

Two British members of Parliament (MPs) are challenging the legality of the government’s Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act (DRIP), said a new release from civil liberties advocate Liberty (http://bit.ly/1mAq900). The organization will seek the judicial review on behalf of the MPs, David Davis and Tom Watson, it said. The group said it will argue the law violates Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Articles 7 and 8 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. DRIP was unanimously approved last week by the House of Lords after passing the House of Commons with some opposition (CD July 18 p16). The bill requires Internet and phone companies to retain customer data for 12 months and starts a government review of its surveillance programs, but privacy advocates have argued other elements of the bill expand the government’s surveillance power (CD July 16 p15).