Changing the rules of the game: somenecessary legal reforms to United Kingdomintelligence

This article argues that there is a need to modernise the law governingaccountability of the UK security and intelligence agencies following changes in their workin the last decade. Since 9/11 the agencies have come increasingly into the spotlight,especially because of the adoption of controversial counter-terrorism policies by thegovernment (in particular forms of executive detention) and by its international partners,notably the US. The article discusses the options for reform in three specific areas: the usein legal proceedings of evidence obtained by interception of communications; with regard tothe increased importance and scle of collaboration with overseas agencies; and to safeguardthe political independence of the agencies in the light of their substantially higher publicprofile. In each it is argued that protection of human rights and the need for publicaccountability requires a new balance to be struck with the imperatives of national security