Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker has won a legal test case in which he sought access to any files that MI5 might hold on him. The victory came with a ruling from the new National Security Appeals Panel of the Data Protection Tribunal.

Baker, who is a home affairs spokesman for his party, said the ruling was "a landmark decision and a victory for the individual against the state". He said the case showed it was inappropriate for the security services to be given blanket exemptions to data protection laws.