Pushing through major new spying powers will be the immediate priority of the Conservative government if it wins next month's election, according to The Sun. The Tory party will aim to push a vote through Parliament that will allow the use of controversial Technical Capability Notices (TCNs) to force telcos, ISPs and social networks to hand over details of users' communications, unnamed government ministers told the publication. The use of encryption by technology companies has been a hot-button political issue for some time, but has been exacerbated by recent terrorist attacks such as the terrorist attack in Manchester on Monday night.

"We will do this as soon as we can after the election, as long as we get back in," an anonymous official said. "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."

Tech companies employ encryption to protect user data from hackers and identity thieves, but politicians have argued that it also provides terrorists with a hidden, untraceable method of coordinating strikes. This has led to multiple calls for encryption technology to be weakened or outright abolished, particularly from the current Conservative government. First provisioned for in the Investigatory Powers Act last year, the Technical Capability Notices (TCNs) would compel communications companies like telcos, ISPs and social media providers to hand over details of users' communications upon request from government or the security services. As with other powers detailed in the Act, each separate order would need to be approved, with a warrant signed by a Secretary of State and a senior judge.