Claranet to join UK exodus over 'Snooping Bill'

Another internet service provider has confirmed it is being driven out of the UK by the government's unpopular 'Snooping Bill'.

Claranet, one of the country's largest independent ISPs with over 350,000 members, said it will seriously consider moving some of its servers offshore unless the government amends its Regulation of Investigatory Powers (RIP) Bill.

Steve Rawlinson, systems manager at Claranet, said the company was already in discussions with current and potential customers to base internet services outside the UK in order to protect themselves from the provisions of the RIP Bill

"We are lucky that as a European ISP we can offer them service in both France and Germany where the regulations are far more supportive," he said.

Claranet is also offering to help other ISPs who want to move services outside the UK.

Rawlinson added that the Bill will result in the loss of British jobs. "For any international company, it really doesn't matter whether internet services are based in France, Germany or the UK," he said.

"It does matter to the UK economy - jobs will be lost or at least created elsewhere in Europe directly as a result of this legislation."