Safeguards 'keep UK spies in line'

Former UK foreign secretary Malcolm Rifkind has said every large scale terror plot faced by the UK since the July 7 attacks would not have been foiled if the intelligence agencies could not intercept emails and other communications.

Speaking at a debate on “the rise of the surveillance state in the UK”, Sir Malcolm insisted that the necessary safeguards are in place to ensure that security service MI5, secret intelligence service MI6 and eavesdropping agency GCHQ act appropriately.