PLANS which could have permitted GCHQ staff to monitor emails and text messages have been scrapped.
Campaigners in Cheltenham, who worked to prevent the snooping bill, celebrated after the proposed law was stopped.
Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg has vetoed Home Secretary Theresa May's Communication Data Act, which the Conservatives wanted included in next month's Queen Speech.
Mr Clegg had told Prime Minister David Cameron that he could not support plans to monitor internet and social media use, and sent the original legislation back to the drawing board.
Cheltenham members of the privacy group 38 Degrees had submitted 140,000 names in July to Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood over the act, nicknamed the snoopers' charter.
Mr Clegg said there was work to be done on certain issues and that it would not gain the support of the British public.
Security
Mr Horwood said it was the right move to send the bill back to the drawing board, but added that security and intelligence services still needed to keep up with modern technology.
"I understand people's concerns about the implications of the bill, and there were widespread fears that the bill might have extended to the Revenue office and the intelligence services," he added.
"I do think that our security and intelligence services need to keep up with modern technology, and the law will need to adapt to that.
"We can't have a situation when terrorists are able to evade capture simply by using new media.
"We will have to sort this out, but obviously the bill will now have to go back to the drawing board. I understand the need for intelligence services to act within the law.
"Some of the things in the bill had people worried, such as allowing revenue office to look at the websites you visit. I'm not sure it is necessary to have that all on record. I think it is right we go back to the start, but we can't leave it alone altogether."
GCHQ and the Home Office declined to comment.
