Controversial emergency laws will be introduced into the Commons next Monday to reinforce the powers of security services to require internet and phone companies to keep records of their customers’ emails and calls. […]
There will be no power to look at the content of phone calls, only location, date and the phone numbers. Government sources say they have been forced to act due to European court of justice ruling in April saying the current laws invaded individual privacy. The government says if there had been no new powers there would have been no obligation on phone and internet companies to keep records if there was a UK court challenge to the retention of data. […]
Labour backbencher Tom Watson […] added: “The government was aware of this ECJ ruling six weeks ago and what they are doing is railroading this through. No one in civil society has got a chance to be consulted.” The shadow cabinet had not seen the proposals until this morning, he added.
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jul/10/emergency-surveillance-laws-rushed-through-cross-party-support