Despite being individual countries with different characteristics, they are all equally docile. Coming originally from Scotland, I can tell you the primary interest is in events affecting Rangers or Celtic football [soccer to North Americans] clubs. Surveillance ? Only of interest if it gives more details on what the favoured football club is doing. Politics is, by definition, saying how much you hate Margaret Thatcher - her death did nothing to diminish the constant blame attached to her despite it being more than 20 years since she was UK Prime Minister. The monotonous regularity would be a source of humour if it were not for the fact these are supposed to be serious people leading a country forward to independence on the world stage.

Any spying on citizens in the UK is universal - the component countries do not make a difference to that in any way. CCTV, number plate cameras etc. are all present and operate universal surveillance throughout the UK. Nowhere is there any sizeable objection to it - especially since "only people with something to hide would object to the monitoring".

UK residents would do well to heed the words of Benjamin Franklin :

"They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety"

Perhaps we would all benefit from remembering the US Founding Fathers who had railed against the rot of the UK by 1776 - it is amazing how much resonance their words have today and how much their meaning has been lost even to Americans who should know better.