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They're at it again.

—

by

Jax Blunt
in

MPs battle over freedom exemptions:

And in a letter to the Times, several groups, including the Campaign for Freedom of Information and Liberty, condemned the bill.

They wrote: “To pass this bill would send an extraordinary signal to the public – MPs feel an obligation to pay lip service to transparency but are unwilling to take on serious openness obligations themselves.”

But its supporters insist the bill is necessary to protect the “priest like” confidentiality of correspondence between constituents and MPs.

Members on both sides of the House have found their correspondence to a public authority already revealed to a third party

Martin Salter Labour MP

I’m sorry, they are not priests, they are representatives, serving the ppl. And, Martin Salter, if they are writing to public authorities, surely the key work there is public? why would they feel that they should be able to say anything they like and not be accountable on it? I’d despair, but it’s pointless.

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Comments

2 responses to “They're at it again.”

  1. Chris avatar
    Chris

    Martin Salter bless him. He is the man wearing a bin bag in this photo:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/mazportico/434033225/in/set-72157600026454174/
    I kind of think that the content of the correspondence is what matters. I might write to my MP to assist me in something to do with a legal case; the MP might then write on my behalf to the Legal Aid Board with details of my case. I might have a say in whether that might be released under the FOI if it contains information about me irrespective of whether it has gone to a public authority or not. I wouldn’t want people put off seeking assistance from MPs for fear of details being made available to third parties.
    I can think of instance where Michael Foot was corresponding with the local council on behalf of my Nana where I am sure she wouldn’t have sought help (which she needed desperately) if she thought the correspondence from Michael Foot was available under the FOI just because it was from a MP to a Council.
    It’s what letters are about that matters.

    Reply
  2. Jax avatar
    Jax

    Yes, and the data protection act already covers such cases. MPs are just trying to wriggle out of accountability I think.
    This post isn’t supposed to be visible til tonight!

    Reply

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