Freedom, the individual and the law c.1

The purpose of this book is to provide a survey of the present content of civil liberties in England. No book has previously attempted such an account of the legal and administrative basis of the various executive interferences with the citizen's liberty. It is hoped that, besides satisfying the demands of the general reader for a guide to his freedoms, the student of constitutional law or government, whether in university, technical college, or sixth form, will find it useful.

The task of keeping this book up to date in successive editions is a mammoth one; hardly a day passes without a new development in the sphere of civil liberties. 'Law and order' and 'the Permissive Society' are not the whole story. There have on the whole been many changes for the better. Much of what I have criticized in the past still remains unaltered, though others have now added their contribution to my previous exposures. The denial of any right to a passport, the laws of official secrets, the uncertain scope of police powers, and invasions of our privacy are prominent examples.