Britain to fast-track data laws after European ruling

Fast-track legislation is to be rushed through the British parliament with cross-party support in order to maintain the ability of police and security services to access telephone and internet data.

Home secretary Theresa May warned MPs innocent lives would be lost if the parliament did not act swiftly in response to a European Court of Justice ruling which raised the prospect that communications companies could start deleting crucial material used to tackle terrorists and serious criminals.

And she said action was needed to confirm the legal basis for security and intelligence agencies to intercept the content of suspects’ emails and phone calls under warrant and head off the risk that communications firms based overseas might withdraw co-operation.