UK government outlines plans for supercharged surveillance powers

THE UK GOVERNMENT has announced the return of the Snoopers’ Charter in the form of the Investigatory Powers Bill, which it describes as “new legislation to modernise the law on communications data”.

Outed during the Queen’s Speech on Wednesday, the bill, which was blocked last year by the Liberal Democrats, will provide intelligence agencies with the means to “keep you and your family safe”, according to the Tories.

The Investigatory Powers Bill will also maintain “the ability of our intelligence agencies to target the online communications of terrorists”.

The Queen said during her speech: “Measures will be brought forward to promote social cohesion and protect people by tackling extremism.

“New legislation will modernise the law on communications data and improve the law on policing and criminal justice.”

Of course, it isn’t all as rosy as it sounds, and it doesn’t sound very rosy at all. The bill is far more wide-ranging than expected, and will allow the Tories to strengthen the security services’ powers to intercept communications in bulk.

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