The powers of British police will be extended in the new draft of the ‘snoopers’ charter’ to allow them to hack into phones and access people’s web browsing histories for routine investigations. The extension of police powers contained in the revised investigatory powers bill – which was published on Tuesday- shows just how determined the home secretary Theresa May is to get her legislation on to the statute book by the end of the year despite sweeping criticism by three separate parliamentary committees in the past month. Human rights campaigners, privacy activists and cross-party MPs signed an open letter urging the government not to rush the legislation through Parliament to ensure MPs have enough time to properly scrutinize it. RT reports: Home Secretary Theresa May said the new legislation reflected the majority of the 122 recommendations made my MPs and peers by addressing issues concerning privacy protections, oversight arrangements and strengthened safeguards. The Conservatives are touting the ‘snoopers’ charter’ as the first comprehensive legal framework for state surveillance in the world and hope to push it through Parliament this year. May’s revised draft has been amended to reflect worries within the technology industry that surveillance laws would undermine or break [...]