// and they are perfectly entitled to "bug" whatever room they want//
no I will say it again
consent to recording is one-sided
one party has to know and consent
here neither did
the employer cannot listen to his employees without notice
https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisations/documents/1064/the_employment_practices_code.pdf
from page 60
"3.1.4 Tell workers what monitoring is taking place and why, and
keep them aware of this, unless covert monitoring is justified."
the authorising officer has to weigh the advantages of covert monitoring ( for example to detect crime - o god the MPs will be cock a hoop at that ) will outweigh the negative effects of disclosure .... and so on
any reader who thinks anemployer can do what he likes in the work place can usefully spend a few hours on the ICO web site - here
https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/employment/
reassuring himself that the employer can't but instead has to comply with current law
[ lateral thinkers will see that it is Brexit all over again - the PM cannot do what she likes/wants but has to comply with current law on article 50 )