Daniella Lock
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daniellalock.bsky.social
Daniella Lock
@daniellalock.bsky.social
Lecturer, KCL

Researching UK executive power, political economy, national security and human rights

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/daniella-lock

She/her
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Here I argue the Home Secretary's case that Palestine Action is concerned in terrorism is lacking in evidence, and proscribing the group is disproportionate. It will criminalise a significant proportion of civil society and be counterproductive for maintaining safety.
‘Given the size of Palestine Action and the breadth of support so far expressed for it, proscribing it could lead to a significant proportion of civil society being criminalised, including MPs, journalists and NGOs.’

New on the blog: Daniella Lock on Palestine Action. www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/ju...
Daniella Lock | Heavy Power
During a parliamentary debate on the Terrorism Bill in 2000, MPs asked whether the legislation could be used to...
www.lrb.co.uk
These new changes to protest law, related to cumulative disruption, seem to have originally been a Policy Exchange proposal published here: policyexchange.org.uk/publication/...
November 4, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Reposted by Daniella Lock
A reminder that my book on the history of protest is now published. It is superbly produced with a great cover. Buy it now from @reaktionbooks.bsky.social
October 27, 2025 at 8:59 AM
Great thread problems of lockin to AWS, due to lack of alternatives. AWS has hosted all of the UK Government's classified data since 2021.
📣THREAD: It’s surprising to me that so many people were surprised to learn that Signal runs partly on AWS (something we can do because we use encryption to make sure no one but you–not AWS, not Signal, not anyone–can access your comms).

It’s also concerning. 1/
PSA: we're aware that Signal is down for some people. This appears to be related to a major AWS outage. Stand by.
October 27, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Reposted by Daniella Lock
The AWS outage today proves how fragile our digital infrastructure can be.

Now, imagine the government had introduced #DigitalID cards on that same system.

Who’s responsible when outages or breaches occur?

Offline alternatives to digital ID MUST be protected.
October 20, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Reposted by Daniella Lock
Tomorrow's front page 📰

Palestine Action 'not close to being a terror group'
October 14, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Reposted by Daniella Lock
Increasing military budgets as part of rising great-power competition is a disaster across multiple fronts: for the victims of wars, for an already burning planet, and for workers who don’t see real benefits from military conflict. New from me & @transitionsec.bsky.social co-director Khem Rogaly
All Guns and No Butter on a Burning Planet
The insatiable demands of the military industrial complex are a barrier to human flourishing on a livable planet.
jacobin.com
October 15, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Reposted by Daniella Lock
🎉 Just launched!

We’ve collaborated with @cplusc.bsky.social to launch @transitionsec.bsky.social — a new research centre that will develop alternative approaches to security and investigate the US & UK military industrial complexes as economic, climate and geopolitical threats.

Find out more. 👇
While the US & Europe ramp up military spending, millions live in poverty.

Today, we launch Transition Security Project, investigating how militarisation makes us poorer and less safe amid climate crisis — and what genuine security could look like. 🧵

transitionsecurity.org
Transition Security Project
transitionsecurity.org
October 16, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Reposted by Daniella Lock
Quite a bodying, here, for the UK, from the Commissioner for Human Rights, Council of Europe.

🏮 He points out the Supreme Court ignored human rights (which breaches its legal obligations)
🏮 He says, in effect agreeing with Lucy Powell, Parliament should be involved...

rm.coe.int/letter-to-pa...
October 14, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Reposted by Daniella Lock
Civil society and human rights defenders are facing alarming trends across Europe, warns the Council of Europe’s #HumanRights Commissioner Michael O’Flaherty👇

🔗 www.coe.int/en/web/commi...

@coe.int @commissionerhr.coe.int
Alarming trends: the crisis facing civil society and human rights defenders in Europe - Commissioner for Human Rights - www.coe.int
Strasbourg 09/10/2025
www.coe.int
October 10, 2025 at 7:11 AM
Reposted by Daniella Lock
A pure example of BBC balance. On the one side, on the other, all the way through. This leaves a really superficial account of what's at issue with leaving the ECHR and accepts, doe-eyed, that Policy Exchange had a "really detailed proposal" on the GFA, not a hot mess:

share.google/qGXg9rHZYfPL...
October 9, 2025 at 6:47 AM
Reposted by Daniella Lock
NEW: Home Office announces planned new anti-protest powers, mainly aimed at pro-Gaza protests like those for Palestine Action. Police will be able to consider the "cumulative impact" of repeated protests and potentially order that they be relocated.
October 5, 2025 at 7:05 AM
The Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation's comments on radio 4 today were worrying. He refers to a potential need for legal changes to enable the banning of protests to alleviate the burden on police for national security reasons, while discussing the defend our juries protest on Saturday.
October 3, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Reposted by Daniella Lock
'The UK Home Office demanded in early September that Apple create a means to allow officials access to encrypted cloud backups, but stipulated that the order applied only to British citizens’ data, according to people briefed on the matter.' www.ft.com/content/d101...
UK makes new attempt to access Apple cloud data
Order issued in September comes after Trump administration said London had backed down in fight over encryption
www.ft.com
October 1, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Lobbying at the Labour conference..
September 29, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Police arrest 66 people at Palestine Action rally near Labour conference www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Police arrest 66 people at Palestine Action rally near Labour conference
83-year-old among those taken into custody on suspicion of supporting a proscribed terror group at Liverpool protest
www.theguardian.com
September 29, 2025 at 11:44 AM
My article 'Backdoor Executive Empowerment' is now available open access published by Legal Studies. The paper identifies 6 mechanisms the last UK Government used to obstruct democratic scrutiny of new changes it introduced to expand executive powers 🧵1/5

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Backdoor Executive Empowerment | Legal Studies | Cambridge Core
Backdoor Executive Empowerment
www.cambridge.org
September 26, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Reposted by Daniella Lock
The chair of the undercover policing inquiry faces legal action over decision not to allow blacklisted union activist Dave Smith to give oral evidence at the public inquiry in November

www.hazards.org/blacklistblo...
Spycops inquiry chair faces legal challenge by blacklisted union activist
Legal papers applying for a Judicial Review have been submitted against the chair of the undercover policing inquiry by blacklisted union activist Dave Smith. The application, to be decided on by a…
www.hazards.org
September 25, 2025 at 12:15 PM
A great read on the Tony Blair Institute (TBI), whose last summer party was held at McKinsey's HQ and co-hosted by ex-McKinsey current chair of NHS England. It includes important info on the revolving door between this tech and petrostate-funded think tank and Starmer's government, including - 1/2
Illuminating read on the Tony Blair Institute: "an organisation unusually close to the British government, able to lobby ministers directly, and which holds joint retreats with Oracle and is willing to engage in “tech sales” with governments in the rest of the world."
Inside the Tony Blair Institute
Who really benefits from the former PM’s tech evangelism?
www.newstatesman.com
September 24, 2025 at 12:05 PM
12 more people charged under the Terrorism Act for supporting Palestine Action www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Manchester Palestine Action protest sees 12 people charged
Police say the charges are in relation to a demonstration in Manchester in July.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 24, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Reposted by Daniella Lock
'As well as journalists, Mr McCullough has looked at how covert measures may have been used against lawyers and others.

It is understood his report runs to around 200 pages.' www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
PSNI to publish review into journalists' phone surveillance
It is likely to criticise how the police used reporters' phone numbers to check for information leaks.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 24, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Reposted by Daniella Lock
📚 BOOK TALK: England’s Military Heartland

🎙️ Khem Rogaly, Saskia Papadakis, Antonia Dawes & Rachael Milliner

⏰ 7.00PM — 8.30PM

🗓️ Weds 24 Sept

📍 @housmansbookshop.bsky.social, 5 Caledonian Rd, London N1 9DX

🔗 Sign up for a ticket now!

housmans.com/event/book-t...
September 22, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Reposted by Daniella Lock
another excellent piece from @davidallengreen.bsky.social on support for Palestine Action not being 'terrorism' www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/law/th...
Should the government have used terrorism law against Palestine Action?
A disclosed MI5 document indicates that the basis for proscription may be weak
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
September 19, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Reposted by Daniella Lock
Conor Gearty obituary - The Guardian

www.theguardian.com/law/2025/sep...
Conor Gearty obituary
A skilled and persuasive human rights lawyer who fought for civil liberties in the face of over-reaching anti-terror law
www.theguardian.com
September 19, 2025 at 10:15 AM