Tories launch anti-DNA database campaign

The current DNA database holds the records of countless innocent UK citizens

The Conservative Party has launched another stinging attack on the government over the storage of innocent people's DNA on a centralised police database, something which has been outlawed by the European Court of Human Rights.

The new Tory campaign comes as new research from the party reveals that the public faces a postcode lottery over the way their DNA records are handled by the police. Some forces refuse to remove any records once the case is closed, while others remove more than four out of five, the Tories said.

Shadow immigration minister Damian Green said that the current system is a " shambles" and that his party would adopt the system used by Scottish police whereby everyone except those accused of violent and sexual crimes have their DNA records removed immediately.

"I have received many cases of other innocent people who are trying to recover their DNA. They include magistrates, grandmothers, a number of former servicemen and women: precisely those who, like me, are instinctively inclined to help the police," said Green in a statement.

"We all want an effective police force, and the support of the public is one of the most vital tools for the police. For this reason it is imperative that the police return the DNA of innocent people."

The European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2008 that a blanket retention policy of DNA records was unlawful, and in response the Home Office is recommending records be held for up to six years. However, the Tories believe this is still too long a period.

The Conservatives have launched a Return My DNA campaign and petition on the back of this new research.