The Liberal Democrats today launched a national petition against proposals to exempt MPs from Freedom of Information rules. The petition calls on all political parties to back the campaign.
Edward Davey MP, Chief of Staff to Liberal Democrat Leader Ming Campbell, today called on Gordon Brown and David Cameron to sign up to oppose the Bill.
“There should not be one law for MPs and one for everyone else. Exempting politicians from Freedom of Information requests only adds to the public perception of Parliament being opaque and clouded in secrecy.
“If Gordon Brown is serious about reforming our democracy this is his first real test. If David Cameron is serious about new politics now is the time to show real leadership rather than grandstanding.â€
The petition is at: ourcampaign.org.uk/foi
I read with great interest your rejection to the apparent immunity of some mp’s to the freedom of information act and indeed suggested my comments to several mp’s on the day of the private members bill. I was assured that because of the obvious parlimentary time problem that this bill would not see the light of day!, however i was wrong!.
Secondly, the fact that this bill was in priority over a child protection one upon that day is a disgrace and those who voted fior this should bear there heads in disgrace, though if one rule should be good for one, then it should be for all, i was under the impression that is what democracy was suppose to be about!!
You have my complete and 100% support for this campaign!
I abhor the bill. However I have no faith in the Liberal Democrat palimentarians mustering any useful oposition. In an argument with Ming Cambell recently (in Malvern), Ming assured me that he had been most robust. Most robust!!! He is so well mannered, at his most robust, he would leave the surface of a cup of tea undisturbed. Where, for God’s sake, is the observable rage at what is being done by Parliament in our name?
It’s possible to rage and to be polite at the same time you know 🙂