Campaigners call for immigration exemption in UK's Data Protection Act to be scrapped

Campaign groups have today launched a legal challenge against an exemption in the UK's Data Protection Act that could prevent citizens gaining access to immigration data held on them. The Open Rights Group and EU citizens' group, the3million, have argued that, as it stands, many people would not be able to access data that the …

[Anonymous Coward]

What will actually happen ...

Instead of

The judicial review seeks to have this exemption removed from the act, on the grounds that it is incompatible with the GDPR and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights

we'll get

The government will have this exemption confirmed in the act, by amending the GDPR and withdrawing from the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights

p.s. even if the court decides against the Home Office, they'll just carry on. There are a long list of court cases they have lost and simply refused to comply with.

[Doctor Syntax]

Re: What will actually happen ...

The government will have this exemption confirmed in the act, by amending the GDPR

They can't. It's not exclusively their legislation and soon they'll have no input into any amendments (it's called taking back control). They'll also need to be judged to have equivalent legislation in order for a lot of the business UK companies will want to conduct with the EU.

and withdrawing from the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights

This would bring yet another problem with the Good Friday agreement.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: What will actually happen ...

Whilst your rebuttal of ACs comment may be technically correct - the best kind of correct (TM Number 1.0 (Futurama)) Dr. S. I still like the sentiment behind ACs comment.

Can I upvote two seemingly contradicting posts?

Turns out I can :-)

[Teiwaz]

The government will have this exemption confirmed in the act, by amending the GDPR

They can't.

I expect they'll try though. It's depressing to watch and extremely embarrassing to read another fudged statement and slightly different worded bill get rushed through only to be shot down again.

[Anonymous Coward]

..and of course if you object to rushing things through and following procedure in an effort to try and stop poorly worded legislation then you get called a misogynist.....

If justice is the aim, why would the government want to stop you accessing immigration information about yourself?

[Anonymous Coward]

These are not the data you are looking for

GDPR mind trick

[Stuart Grout]

Derogations and exemptions

Although GDPR is a big change for industry, governments throughout Europe still have a multitude of derogation and exemptions available so they can effectively carry on as before and they are all using them.

Certain lawyers love these crowdfunded cases as they are usually the only people who benefit, being paid whether the case wins or not.