Commenting on today’s debate on the Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill in the House of Commons, Liberal Democrat Shadow Justice Secretary, Simon Hughes MP said:
“This has been a shameful day for the House of Commons – MPs should set an example of open government, not apply it to everybody but ourselves.
“David Maclean’s Bill and the way it has got through the Commons will clearly diminish respect for Parliament. But the battle will go on and hopefully the Lords will deliver us from this terrible mistake.
“I hope the public will make their views very clear to the MPs who supported the Bill and to the next Prime Minister that this is absolutely the wrong direction for open, accountable government.”
Liberal Democrat Shadow Leader of the House, David Heath MP added:
“This was a black day for Parliament.
“Firstly, because a bad bill which will damage both Freedom of Information and the reputation of Parliament was passed.
“Secondly, because Parliamentary procedure meant that many MPs could not make their voices heard.
“And thirdly, because the Government has been able to claim that it was neutral on the Bill while cynically doing everything it could to mobilise support for the former Conservative Chief Whip.”
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9 Comments
Well that was an embarrasing damp squib.
In final vote just 11 Lib Dem MPs were voting. Only 16 Lib Dem MPs took part in the debate (either voting or speaking). Two London MPs (Brake & Featherstone) were among those not present.
Yesterday Ming emailed all members saying:
“The Freedom of Information Act is a vital tool for allowing members of the public to assess whether their MPs are doing so.
We must not allow it to be compromised.”
Today – as far as I can see – he was among those Lib Dem MPs not turning up.
If it was important enough to email members about – why was it not important enough to merit a three line whip
Its a pretty disgraceful example of us being “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”
According to Hansard (still subject to corrections) these were the Lib Dem MPs voting against at 3rd reading
Baker, Norman
Burt, Lorely
Farron, Tim
Gidley, Sandra
Goldsworthy, Julia
Harris, Dr. Evan
Howarth, David
Hughes, Simon
Kramer, Susan
(Tellers)
Mr. Alan Reid and
Jo Swinson
Also participating in earlier votes
Cable
Opik
Sanders
Williams (S)
Williams (R)
Burt
Heath
Kramer
Hmmm – my other pearls of wisdom appear to be lost forever.
What I think is pretty poor is the low proportion of our MPs who turned out on this issue.
Yesterday the leader thought it important enough to email members about – but where were he and others today?
Hi Hywel,
Something in your original message triggered the moderation filter so it was held until I got to a PC.
R
Is there a list somewherevof MPs that voted for this bill without me having to trawl through hansard?
Trawling saved 🙂
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmtoday/cmdebate/09.htm#hddr_4
Top stories on the BBC News website today: ‘Gordon Brown rejetcs calls to block moves for MPs to get out of the FOI laws’..then – ‘Brown promises to build trust in politics as the next PM. Promises to build trust in our democracy, and sets out the need to move to an open form of dialogue with citizens and politicians, to genuinely talk about problems and solutions’
Well he’s got off to a great start. No wonder he’s smiling!
Hywel,
Just for the record I think you will find Lynne Featherstyone may well be “absent with leave” owing to an attack of shingles.
Does the Daily Mail political editor Benedict Brogan not sum it up on his blog:
“Sir Menzies Campbell may have spent the past 24 hours haranguing the Chancellor to speak up for FoI and stop the Bill, but did not vote against it himself – or order his MPs to either”
http://broganblog.dailymail.co.uk/2007/05/foi_mps_lists_o.html#comments
Was it more important for Sir Menzies to be back in Scotland than voting on this matter? Why did he not issue a 3-line whip? Makes all the letter-writing to the Chancellor and TV appearances look very silly indeed.