I think the EU started down the path all on it's own. Fining someone who has google fonts is a bit over the top.

I disagree for the simple reason that I've lived in the UK for 40 years, and I recall each home secretary being more authoritarian and pro-surveillance than the last. The RIP bill is a decade old and was strengthened, under home sec May, before the referendum.

I would describe the EU as wavering. Perhaps they'll do it, but it's far from certain.

100% correct - the EU is a relative bastion of sanity in comparison.

It would be nice if the UK government used the ridiculous powers they gave themselves to hold Boris Johnson to account though.

The EU did implement snooping on every European's internet history in the past: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Retention_Directive

But you could make the argument that it was largely due to Britain.