Reacting to reports today that the Metropolitan Police Service has a fleet of secret spy planes,
each costing £3 million and capable of eavesdropping on mobile phone calls from
the sky, Green Party Metropolitan Police Authority member Jenny Jones said:
“This dramatic and shocking news raises important questions on civil liberties, democratic
scrutiny and prospective job cuts.
“First, how are instances of eavesdropping authorised or justified? Second, how did such a colossal and contentious item of public spending entirely avoid scrutiny? And third, will such excessive and controversial expenditure now be cut to prevent the prospective redundancies of police officers and support staff across
London?”