WESTMORLAND and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron said there was ‘no split’ between him and Nick Clegg over controversial government plans for greater monitoring of private e-mails and internet use.

The Liberal Democrat president said Mr Clegg shared his 'alarm' at the prospect of a 'snooper's charter' and insisted his party would ‘kill’ any bill that invaded individual freedoms.

Last week, Mr Clegg spoke in support of government plans to update rules to allow police and security services to 'catch serious criminals'.

Mr Farron said: “I have spoken to Nick about this and we both agree the initial proposals, as leaked, look alarming. There is certainly no split between us.”

Home Secretary Theresa May has said she hoped to give the authorities new powers to investigate online communications.

Mr Farron said the Lib Dems would oppose ‘authoritarian’ measures allowing GCHQ, the secret listening agency, to monitor internet traffic, including individual e-mails.

“Such a bill would be contrary to traditional British freedoms and Liberal Democrats, including Nick Clegg, would not allow it,” he said.

Mr Farron did not rule out Lib Dem backing for some form of monitoring - as long as there ‘was no universal access’ to internet traffic.