Creation of a “snoopers’ charter’ giving law enforcement agencies easy access to details of phone calls and e-mails must be strongly resisted, says Tameside’s Liberal Democrat Euro-MP.

The Coalition Government is consulting on proposals intended to help in the fight against terrorism and organised crime, but Chris Davies says that any new law must include safeguards to respect civil liberties.

The MEP wants a balance struck between the need to detect the few who may plan murder and the right of the great majority to freedom and confidentiality.

He said: “Use of rapidly developing technology means that existing rules must be updated. So long as there are Liberal Democrats in the government I am confident that fundamental liberties will be properly respected.”