Labour tried to introduce a similar system using a central database tracking all phone, text, email and internet use but that was ditched in 2009. It followed concerns raised by internet service providers and mobile phone operators over the project‘s feasibility, and anxieties over who would foot the bill.

The coalition‘s proposals are likely to be introduced in the Queen‘s speech on 9 May and will centre on internet service providers gathering the information and allowing government intelligence operatives to scrutinise it.