Personal data can be any information that identifies or relates to a living person. This can include information that when used with other information, allows someone to be identified. This can include your name and contact details, your email address and any other technical information that is unique to you, and a lot more. 

UK data protection laws also create a category of data known as ‘special categories’ of personal data. These include race or ethnic origin, sexuality and sexual life, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, political opinions, genetic data and bio-metric data, physical or mental health and criminal convictions and offences. The requires higher levels of protections for the use of these types of data. 

As a political party we collect and have access to information relating to people’s political opinions. Section 8 of the UK Data Protection Act 2018 recognises there is a ‘substantial public interest’ for all political parties to use political opinion data within its ‘democratic engagement’ activities. Further information on the meaning of ‘democratic engagement’ activities can be accessed by clicking here.