MPs vote themselves above Freedom of Information
The House of Commons voted last Friday for legislation “designed to protect MPs, not their constituents” by exempting themselves from the Freedom of Information Act. The story is well covered by blogs and traditional media. There is some hope at least the Lords will prevent this Private Members Bill reaching the statute books.
Here’s a list of who voted which way. If your MP voted ‘aye’, you should drop them a line to ask how this measure increases accountability and transparency in government. If your MP was absent from the vote, then write and tell them why this legislation only increases our distrust of the political establishment so must be opposed.
And if one attempt to limit use of the FOI regulations wasn’t insult enough, the Ministry for Justice are also trying to save politician’s blushes under the guise of saving a few quid. Please help us submit to the ongoing consultation by contributing to our consultation wiki page.
May 21st, 2007 at 7:48 pm
The MPs who voted in favour of stopping the filibuster should also be held accountable for this.
May 22nd, 2007 at 12:31 am
[...] Further to my post on Sunday about the Freedom of Information Act and the private members bill (was ever there a more apt phrase!?) which passed through the Commons - it seems that I am not the only on who thinks that it is reprehensible. IWR - in an article entitled One rule for FoI’s Maclean and another for us - talks about “the contempt MP hold for the public” and Blogzilla quotes David Winnick MP who believes “we [MPs] are in danger of bringing ourselves into disrepute”, while ORG says MPs vote themselves above Freedom of Information, but quotes The Guardian which notes that there is some hope at least the Lords will prevent this Private Members Bill reaching the statute books.The Open Rights Group Blog has a good idea: Here’s a list of who voted which way. If your MP voted ‘aye’, you should drop them a line to ask how this measure increases accountability and transparency in government.>>Technorati tags: FoI; government>>IceRocket tags: FoI; governmentLabels: FoI, government [...]
May 22nd, 2007 at 12:17 pm
More excellent analysis of this retrograde legislation > http://www.makeitanissue.org.uk/2007/05/dan_leighton_foi_vote_roll_of.php
May 23rd, 2007 at 10:34 am
Heather Brooks’ blog covers FOI issues so well:
http://www.yrtk.org/2007/mps-exemption-passes/
“I’m in America this week and what a relief it is to be in a proper democracy with a proper constitution, transparency and freedom of information laws. Yes, transparency is in a worse state in the US than it has been for decades, but it’s still light years ahead of Britain even on Britain’s best days. And these are far from its best days.”
June 18th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
Hooray - http://dooooooom.blogspot.com/2007/06/attack-on-foi-dies-in-lords.html