British intelligence agencies must have more surveillance powers, says Cameron

British intelligence agencies must have powers, if necessary, to intercept all internet traffic in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks, prime minister David Cameron has declared, saying that the first duty is to keep people safe.

Cameron has battled unsuccessfully with his Liberal Democrat coalition partners over the past few years to force internet companies to keep details of all web-users’ browsing histories, email traffic, messaging and internet telephone call records.

Speaking in Nottingham yesterday, Cameron said agencies must have access – backed by a warrant from the home secretary – to such records, saying communications “which it simply isn’t possible to read” cannot be allowed.

Burden on Muslims

Meanwhile, No 10 Downing Street agreed with culture secretary Sajid Javid’s declaration that Muslims face “a special burden” to track down Islamic extremists “because, whether we like it or not, these terrorists call themselves Muslims”.

On Sunday, Javid, a non-practising Muslim born to Pakistani parents, said it was “lazy” and “wrong” to say that the Paris attacks had nothing to do with Islam

Questioned yesterday, No 10 said Muslims are the ones whose faith “is being warped” by extremists, while some of their number are heading to Syria and elsewhere to join terrorist groups.

Clegg resistance

Two years ago, Liberal Democrats leader and deputy prime minister

Nick Clegg

refused to back legislation proposed by home secretary

Theresa May

that would have forced internet companies to keep records of all traffic – but not of content – for a year.

Cameron insisted that legislation will be published after May, if he is re-elected: “I will make sure it’s a comprehensive piece of legislation that makes sure we do not allow terrorists safe space to communicate with each other.”

However, Clegg will tonight declare his opposition to Cameron’s plans, when he gives a speech in the Irish Embassy in London at an event marking the work of the Journalists’ Charity.

There, Clegg will say, according to a draft of the speech released last night, that the so-called “snoopers’ charter” will give the state “a new indiscriminate power for governments to record every man, woman and child’s web history”.