PM: 'Let's not give terrorists safe spaces to communicate'

David Cameron says he wants to stop criminals and terrorists being able to communicate freely online Credit: This Morning

Prime Minister David Cameron has stood by the government's Investigatory Powers Bill saying it would help to "keep people safe" and will stop terrorists and other criminals communicating without being traced.

Speaking on This Morning, Cameron said: "Please lets not have a situation where we give terrorists, criminals, child abductors safe spaces to communicate.

"We shouldn’t allow the internet to be a safe space for them to communicate and do bad things."

The comments came as the PM argued that allowing police the power to know who has been talking to who, and when, by monitoring communications data could be a key aspect of future public safety.

He said: "At heart what this whole Investigatory Powers Bill is really about is actually something quite simple, because we all know when it comes to missing children or hideous crimes and the like we all know it's absolutely vital for the police to be able to know who called who and when."

Key points from the draft bill, due to be published on Wednesday, are expected to include:

  • Measures requiring internet firms to store internet connection records to respond to the increasing use of apps and social media for communication.

  • Legislation to allow security services to retain the capacity to intercept the content of communications after obtaining a warrant.

  • Proposals for a radical overhaul of the current oversight regime, including the appointment of a senior judge who will hold agencies and law enforcement to account.