The Tory government, which is facing an election which it will probably win, is putting out some truly terrifying policies on the assumption that it can claim it has a mandate.

One of the plans is to bring in the Investigative Powers Act "soon after the election" claiming that it's necessary because of the Manchester bombing.

This will force companies to break their own security under "Technical Capability Orders". This will allow government spooks to read emails.

The Independent reports that a new elected Tory Government will ask parliament to allow the use of those powers.

Senior ministers have said that they will do this soon as they can after the election, if they  get back in.

“The level of threat clearly proves there is no more time to waste now. The social media companies have been laughing in our faces for too long."

The anonymous briefings to the paper come soon after the Conservatives launched their manifesto promising "regulation" on the internet. Those proposals included what appeared to be a reiteration of the government's plans to weaken security and encryption.

Normally governments say this sort of thing is needed to “protect children” but IS gave them a much better reason.

The weird thing which the politicians do not seem to understand is that the UK is not particularly scared about terrorist bombings. Sure, there is an outcry, but most Brits are not scared and carry on regardless. If a terrorist cell was randomly killing cats, there would be a much bigger problem.