The government has today unexpectedly revived plans for laws to disconnect persistent illegal filesharers, in a move to delight the entertainment industry and anger ISPs.
The unscheduled changes to the Digital Britain consultation also envisage a more powerful, direct role for Lord Mandelson. Despite denials last week, the news will reignite speculation that the First Secretary of State's stance against illegal peer to peer was hardened by a summer holiday meeting with Hollywood mogul David Geffen.
The internet industry believed it had fought off pressure for the government to suspend internet access. Indeed, many in the recording industry had dropped support for a "three strikes" policy before the Digital Britain consultation began in June.
Today, however, Mandelson's Department for Business said responses to the consultation had persuaded it to reconsider introducing the threat of disconnection from the internet.
