Theresa May will revive 'snooper's charter'

Theresa May today insisted the failed "snooper's charter" would be revived as she appeared to be gearing up for a fight with Liberal Democrats.

Earlier this month Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg blocked the Home Secretary's plans for a communications bill that would have given police and security services access to records of individuals' internet use.

Labour former Home Secretary Alan Johnson said today he was "absolutely passionately" a supporter of reforms and suggested it was a resigning issue for Theresa May if she could not get the changes into law by 2015.

Asked whether she would quit over the matter, Mrs May told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: "I have made my view very clear. We are now working through across the government what action we can take but I'm clear, the law enforcement agencies, the intelligence agencies need access to communications data and that is essential to them doing their job."

The Home Secretary said there was a reference to the plans in the Queen's Speech.

She added: "I have always been clear that access to communications data is essential for law enforcement agencies and the intelligence agencies.

"There is a reducing capability in relation to access to communications data."

Mr Johnson told the programme the need for the law change was not "knee jerk".

"I am absolutely with the Home Secretary because I feel very, very absolutely confident that she will be fighting for this.

"We need to get this on the statute book before the next general election and I think it is absolutely crucial, indeed I think it is a resignation issue for a Home Secretary if the Cabinet do not support her in this central part of what the security services do."

It comes as it emerged the Deputy Prime Minister was warned that blocking the bill could come back to haunt him just days before the murder of soldier Lee Rigby.

Liberal Democrat Lord Carlile, who until 2011 was the independent reviewer of government anti-terror laws, said he was "shocked" at Mr Clegg's "political" decision.

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, he said: "The veto was a political decision, not one based on the merits. It was contrary to what are certainly the views of the Home Secretary Theresa May and probably those of the Prime Minister," he wrote in the newspaper. "The security services and the police clearly felt the need for the new law.