Courts to hear phone-tap evidence

Plans to allow courts to hear phone-tap and other electronic surveillance evidence, in an effort to convict more crime barons, will be announced today by David Blunkett.

Plans to allow courts to hear phone-tap and other electronic surveillance evidence, in an effort to convict more crime barons, will be announced today by David Blunkett.

The Home Secretary's plan ­ part of a package of measures against organised crime ­ represents a change of heart and threatens to start a fresh civil liberties row. He said: "A year ago, if you had asked me, I would have been very sceptical. I am much more convinced that, in a limited range of cases, intercept evidence would make sense."

The provision will not apply to information gathered by MI5 and MI6, which argue that it could compromise their operations, but other surveillance material also could be used to prosecute suspected terrorists. Its use would mark a significant innovation for the legal system.

The Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, Mark Oaten, said: "We have to accept greater use of intercept communication, surveillance and plea-bargaining, but the threat of terrorism should not be used as an excuse to fundamentally change our society with ID cards or with changes to the burden of proof."

But Mr Blunkett told The Sunday Telegraph: "Those who describe themselves as liberal with a small 'l' seem to think that any move you make that addresses the reality of the moment is a betrayal of human rights. It is beholden on us to act. "

Mr Blunkett believes today's white paper on serious and organised crime, which sets out plans for "Britain's FBI", will also be useful in fighting terrorism. He delivered an apparent rebuke yesterday to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir John Stevens, who had claimed in the wake of the Madrid train-bombs that London was inevitably a future target.

Mr Blunkett said: "I have not used that phrase. Of course, I cannot guarantee that we will not have an attack because of the nature of the threat and the dangers of suicide bombers. Resilience is important for dealing with the aftermath, but what we are concentrating on is stopping it."

The white paper will outline the powers to be given to the Serious and Organised Crime Agency to put major criminals behind bars. A national witness protection programme could be set up and the Government is considering introducing formal plea bargaining to persuade gang members to give evidence against bosses.

It is expected that professionals such as lawyers, bankers and accountants who are normally bound by confidentiality rules could be forced to disclose information about gangster clients, or face jail themselves.