Judges to be handed power to overrule ministers on anti-terror spying operations
Home secretary Theresa May is to put forward fresh proposals for the oversight of controversial spying operations carried out on national security grounds, by handing a power of veto to a panel of specially trained judges.
The transfer of power is intended to hold security institutions to account and would see thousands of national security warrants issued each year reviewed and represents a significant concession by ministers to civil liberties lobbying.
At present such power rests in the hands of the ministers, with the home secretary last year issuing more than 2,700 warrants enabling agencies such as MI5, MI6, GCHQ and the police to tap phones or hack the computers of suspected terrorists and members of criminal gangs.
Under the new framework a judicial commission would review such warrants to determine whether they are necessary and proportionate under the law.
The proposals form part of new draft surveillance laws to be presented to parliament later today. The Investigatory Powers Bill, which will set outline the full extent of the state’s ability to spy on its citizens for the first time.