Bill changes needed to protect journalists

Your article (Anonymous sources are vital – Guardian editor, 20 January) exposes the risk to journalists from the new powers being given to the police, intelligence services and other state bodies by the data retention powers in the counter terrorism and security bill currently before parliament. The simplest mechanism to provide some basic protection to journalists and their sources is to ensure that where any state agency seeks to exercise these powers in the case of journalists or other professions that have a duty of confidentiality, then the authority of a court must be sought and it is not left to the internal decision-making processes of that agency. On several occasions now I have tried to amend the bill before parliament to this effect. There has been no adequate explanation from government ministers why they still resist this simple measure. Time is running out to secure this concession and we urgently need the maximum pressure on the government to achieve this minor but critical change.
John McDonnell MP
Secretary of the NUJ parliamentary group