The Open Rights Group reports (Data retention endangers democracy):
European legislation that came into force today requires internet service providers to retain details of user's emails, net phone calls and other web traffic. This requirement, imposed on all all EU states, is a serious erosion of our fundamental human right to privacy.
Read the rest of the ORG's article for more information. Looks a bit like the Government's "consultation" on the Interception Modernisation Porgramme has been partly overtaken by events.
On the bright side, the Government database dimwits don't seem to bet getting their slippery mitts on the data (they'd probably leave it on a train or something).