Data protection bill leaves room for governmental abuse, campaigners warn

The data (use and access) bill would allow secretaries of state to extended legitimate interest grounds without current levels of parliamentary scrutiny. Photograph: Antons Jevterevs/Alamy

Privacy campaigners have warned that voters’ personal data could be used to target them with political messaging under new laws.

In a letter written to Chris Bryant, the data protection minister, and the deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, campaigners said there was “potential for abuse of new powers” in the data protection legislation, which was introduced to parliament at the end of 2024.