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| 'Scaremongering' over internet monitoring plans - Nick Clegg | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| There has been "a lot of scaremongering" about plans for new email and web monitoring laws, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has said. | |
| He said they were "not the draconian proposals they have been portrayed as", and safeguards for privacy and civil liberties were "absolutely guaranteed". | He said they were "not the draconian proposals they have been portrayed as", and safeguards for privacy and civil liberties were "absolutely guaranteed". |
| Home Secretary Theresa May has said the move will help bring "criminals, paedophiles and terrorists" to justice. | |
| But MPs and civil liberties campaigners have warned against the plan. | But MPs and civil liberties campaigners have warned against the plan. |
| Internet service providers are obliged to keep details of users' web access, email and internet phone calls for 12 months, under an EU directive from 2009. | Internet service providers are obliged to keep details of users' web access, email and internet phone calls for 12 months, under an EU directive from 2009. |
| Although the content of the calls is not kept, the sender, recipient, time of communication and geographical location does have to be recorded. | Although the content of the calls is not kept, the sender, recipient, time of communication and geographical location does have to be recorded. |
| The proposed new law - which the Home Office says will be brought in "as soon as parliamentary time allows" - would extend those requirements to social networking sites and internet phone services such as Skype. | The proposed new law - which the Home Office says will be brought in "as soon as parliamentary time allows" - would extend those requirements to social networking sites and internet phone services such as Skype. |
| 'Proportionate measures' | 'Proportionate measures' |
| It would also reportedly allow intelligence officers to access emails, calls and texts as they happen, without a warrant, rather than retrospectively. | It would also reportedly allow intelligence officers to access emails, calls and texts as they happen, without a warrant, rather than retrospectively. |
| Mr Clegg told the BBC people should wait to see the full proposals before judging them - and insisted the content of any communications would still only be accessible with a warrant. | Mr Clegg told the BBC people should wait to see the full proposals before judging them - and insisted the content of any communications would still only be accessible with a warrant. |
| "There's been a lot of scaremongering, a lot of myths about in the media over the last couple of days," he said. | "There's been a lot of scaremongering, a lot of myths about in the media over the last couple of days," he said. |
| "Any measures will be proportionate. They will not sacrifice people's civil liberties, we will not create a new government database and we will not give police new powers to look into people's emails." | "Any measures will be proportionate. They will not sacrifice people's civil liberties, we will not create a new government database and we will not give police new powers to look into people's emails." |
| He added: "Let's be clear, we aren't simply going to ram some legislation through Parliament... There's a legitimate debate here to be had." | He added: "Let's be clear, we aren't simply going to ram some legislation through Parliament... There's a legitimate debate here to be had." |
| But Chris Fox, former head of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said the move would be "a massive intervention by the state into people's private lives". | But Chris Fox, former head of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said the move would be "a massive intervention by the state into people's private lives". |
| "If you are investigating crime you have targets... it just seems to be overkill and intrusive for the 99.9% of the rest of us." | |
| He said the idea was "fraught with danger for the innocent vast majority", not least that of misidentification, which could result from genuine criminals disguising their communications as those of law-abiding citizens. | He said the idea was "fraught with danger for the innocent vast majority", not least that of misidentification, which could result from genuine criminals disguising their communications as those of law-abiding citizens. |
| However, the home secretary told the Sun that "ordinary people" would have nothing to fear from the government's plans. | However, the home secretary told the Sun that "ordinary people" would have nothing to fear from the government's plans. |
| Mrs May said that phone records were often used to solve crimes - including child murderer Ian Huntley, as well as the "gangland thugs who gunned down Rhys Jones", the 11-year-old shot dead in Liverpool. | Mrs May said that phone records were often used to solve crimes - including child murderer Ian Huntley, as well as the "gangland thugs who gunned down Rhys Jones", the 11-year-old shot dead in Liverpool. |
| Life-saving potential | Life-saving potential |
| Attempts by the last Labour government to create a giant central database containing all UK web and telephone use were dropped after huge opposition, including from the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. | Attempts by the last Labour government to create a giant central database containing all UK web and telephone use were dropped after huge opposition, including from the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. |
| The Conservative shadow home secretary at the time, Chris Grayling, said the government had "built a culture of surveillance which goes far beyond counter-terrorism and serious crime". | The Conservative shadow home secretary at the time, Chris Grayling, said the government had "built a culture of surveillance which goes far beyond counter-terrorism and serious crime". |
| But Lord Carlile, the former official reviewer of terrorism legislation, said that "having come into government, the coalition parties have realised this kind of material has potential for saving lives, preventing serious crime and helping people to avoid becoming victims of serious crime". | But Lord Carlile, the former official reviewer of terrorism legislation, said that "having come into government, the coalition parties have realised this kind of material has potential for saving lives, preventing serious crime and helping people to avoid becoming victims of serious crime". |
| Nevertheless, several Conservative backbenchers have attacked the proposals. | Nevertheless, several Conservative backbenchers have attacked the proposals. |
| Another former shadow home secretary, David Davis, said: "If they want to see all this information they should be willing to put their case before a judge or magistrate. This will force them to focus on the real terrorists rather than turning Britain into a nation of suspects." | Another former shadow home secretary, David Davis, said: "If they want to see all this information they should be willing to put their case before a judge or magistrate. This will force them to focus on the real terrorists rather than turning Britain into a nation of suspects." |
| Fellow Tory Dominic Raab said it was "a plan to privatise Big Brother surveillance". | Fellow Tory Dominic Raab said it was "a plan to privatise Big Brother surveillance". |
| He has obtained a briefing paper on the issue, written in October 2010 by the Information Commissioner Christopher Graham's office, which said the case for retaining such data had yet to be made. | He has obtained a briefing paper on the issue, written in October 2010 by the Information Commissioner Christopher Graham's office, which said the case for retaining such data had yet to be made. |
| It also warned: "There needs to be some recognition that this additional data will be a honey pot as it will reveal the browsing habits of celebrities, politicians, etc." | It also warned: "There needs to be some recognition that this additional data will be a honey pot as it will reveal the browsing habits of celebrities, politicians, etc." |
| And it suggested that a new offence, possibly attracting a custodial sentence, could be created to punish any wrongful disclosure. | And it suggested that a new offence, possibly attracting a custodial sentence, could be created to punish any wrongful disclosure. |
| 'Checks and balances' | 'Checks and balances' |
| Critics have warned that any new law could end up being used more widely than originally intended - similar to the controversial Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, which has been used by local authorities to check on children's school catchment areas. | Critics have warned that any new law could end up being used more widely than originally intended - similar to the controversial Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, which has been used by local authorities to check on children's school catchment areas. |
| The information commissioner said public bodies not involved in dealing with serious crime or national security, such as the Department for Work and Pensions, should have to apply to a court before access was granted. | The information commissioner said public bodies not involved in dealing with serious crime or national security, such as the Department for Work and Pensions, should have to apply to a court before access was granted. |
| Labour have said the police and security services have to be able to keep up with new technology, but there must be "clear checks and balances" on what they are able to do. | Labour have said the police and security services have to be able to keep up with new technology, but there must be "clear checks and balances" on what they are able to do. |
| Leader Ed Miliband said the issue was "very sensitive" and had been "spectacularly mishandled" by the government, leading to fears of intrusion into people's day-to-day lives. | Leader Ed Miliband said the issue was "very sensitive" and had been "spectacularly mishandled" by the government, leading to fears of intrusion into people's day-to-day lives. |
| Even if the move is announced in the Queen's Speech, any new law would still have to make it through Parliament, potentially in the face of opposition in both the Commons and the Lords. | Even if the move is announced in the Queen's Speech, any new law would still have to make it through Parliament, potentially in the face of opposition in both the Commons and the Lords. |
| The Internet Service Providers' Association said any change in the law must be "proportionate, respect freedom of expression and the privacy of users". | The Internet Service Providers' Association said any change in the law must be "proportionate, respect freedom of expression and the privacy of users". |