Hague: Snooping claim 'baseless'
The Foreign Secretary has dismissed claims that spy centre GCHQ used private data from US security agencies to circumvent British laws are "baseless."
Govt may have 'operated covert snoopers' charter'
Business Secretary Vince Cable said today that it was a possibility that the Prism system may have allowed the Government to operate a covert sort of snoopers' charter, after the Foreign Secretary claimed that GCHQ did not try to dodge tough legal checks on their activities.
Mr Cable told Sky News' Murnaghan programme: "One is that the Americans have developed this very sophisticated Prism system, which enables them to get access to data in other countries, with or without our knowledge.
"And there is a separate issue about whether GCHQ were involved in some collaborative exercise.
"I think a lot of people will be reassured that we do work well with the Americans, but the whole point about surveillance is you have got to have it when you're dealing with terrorism or other crimes".
-
Government insists British spies operate within the law
The Foreign Secretary said British intelligence would never use its partnership with the United States to get around UK laws.
-
GCHQ: From Cromwell to the internet
GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) is one of three UK intelligence agencies that form the UK's security and intelligence system.
-
US spy programme claims raises privacy fears in the UK
Facebook, Google and Microsoft have all denied claims that they cooperated with US intelligence agencies to gather data on foreign users.