ELECTION candidates clashed over the balance between privacy and freedom at a husting in Lyme Regis.

Four candidates for the West Dorset parliamentary seat took part in the Amnesty International event at the Woodroffe School - giving their views on human rights and terrorism surveillance.

UKIP candidate David Glossop was unable to attend the hustings after injuring his hand in a collision with a car while walking his dog.

Peter Barton from the Green Party said surveillance of terrorism suspects needs to be more accountable.

"We argue that the current security practices are excessive" he said. "We need to recognise that too much intrusion by the state, especially in the lives of communities that already feel marginalised and under-represented, can actually cause or exacerbate the very kind of threats we're trying to avoid."

Liberal Democrat candidate Ros Kayes said: "Privacy is integral to a free, fair and open society and it's very important the government doesn't make knee-jerk responses.

"We believe there should be a right and proportionate response and we want the whole process to be more closely monitored."

Rachel Rogers from the Labour Party, said: "The current government favours what I consider to be a relatively intrusive approach."

"There are already restrictions to our freedom to try to prevent global terrorism because of a very tiny percentage of people who want to cause us harm."

Conservative candidate Oliver Letwin defended his party's manifesto pledge to scrap the Human Rights Act, which incorporates the European Convention on Human Rights into law.

"I think it has not served this country particularly well because the judgements of the European court can be less consistent with our courts and with common sense" said Mr Letwin.

"What I would like to see is a change so that instead of forcing our judges to take account of the rulings of the European court - our judges are able to apply the European Convention on Human Rights to cases."

Cllr Kayes said Britain should lead by example in protecting human rights.

She said: "You can't protect the human rights of people and then pull out of the system that protects them.

"The reality is that those that need human rights laws the most are often people in the care of the state - and often those who the public feels little sympathy for."

Cllr Rogers said the public needs to be more aware of the benefits of the Human Rights Act.

Mr Letwin also suggested it was reasonable to put pressure on groups to restrict hate preaching, while Mr Barton said the Green Party would restore entitlement to legal aid.