There are many data retention experts who read material on this site. And cruel and bitter experience has shown me that there are plenty of fellow pedants reading my blog posts. So, having recently worked on {Rosemary Jay’s excellent piece on the subject: http://www.scl.org/site.aspx?i=ed40676}, I want to seek assistance on the {i}really big issue{/i}: where, if anywhere, does the apostrophe go in ‘Snoopers’ Charter/Snooper’s Charter/Snoopers Charter’?
Seriously – I want to know what you think.
Is there a Giant Snooper out there? I know the powers will not be available to nosey parkers like me but I guess we are talking a class of snoopers, though I am not sure of the collective noun (a creep of snoopers? – maybe not).
And it is no good telling me that we should not use the phrase at all. I have no doubt that those in power would like to see its demise. But these are the people who think it is OK to capitalise the ‘T’ in the title of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill, and cannot seem to decide whether legislation is anti-terrorist or counter-terrorist. (While there is a genuine difference in meaning between the antis and the counters, the legislation in question does not reflect that distinction.) I long since gave up expecting our elected representatives to read the legislation they enact, but there are 650 of them and it doesn’t seem to be asking much for them to at least read the titles.
