Tag Archives: michael wills

Individual electoral registration: consultation response

Here’s the response I’ve sent to the Electoral Registration Transformation Programme ([email protected]) in response to the consultation on the draft legislation for individual electoral registration, which closes on 14 October. For the background on the benefits of individual electoral registration, see What’s the point of switching to individual electoral registration?

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the draft legislation which has been published to implement individual electoral registration in Great Britain. The publication of a full draft for public consultation is a very welcome improvement on the way …

Posted in Election law | Also tagged , and | 16 Comments

The database state and the true cost of Labour’s free lunches

During the Unlock Democracy debate at the Convention on Modern Liberty last month, Justice Minister Michael Wills defended the growth of the database state by arguing:

“We’ve heard a lot of about datasharing today. But that datasharing, that so many here today say is an unacceptable intrusion of privacy by the state, can actually help thousands and thousands of children who are eligible for free school meals but don’t get them at the moment… Look, it’s all very well for you to sit here. You’ve probably all had a hot meal in the last week. One

Posted in Big mad database and Op-eds | Also tagged , , , , and | 7 Comments

Lib Dems help force Labour data sharing U-turn

A big well done to Lib Dem MP Adrian Sanders for what his blog calls his “little victory” in helping to force the Government to drop proposals which would have allowed people’s details to be shared between organisations. The BBC reports:

The Lib Dems said plans for secret inquests in England and Wales were “misguided” and they would continue to oppose any moves which “undermined” the jury system. … They would have allowed ministers to apply for orders to remove data protection restrictions preventing the use of information for secondary purposes in certain circumstances.

Justice Secretary Jack Straw had argued

Posted in News | Also tagged , and | 4 Comments
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Recent Comments

  • Tony Paterson
    LET'S NOT `STUNT' OUR GROWTH I am most grateful for the numerous comments above. It is fair to point out to me that our leader Ed Davey MP's opposition to Nig...
  • Katharine Pindar
    Thank you for this, Lisa - it's good you have been representing us so well in Parliament. One policy I would like us to suggest, if not already mooted, is that ...
  • Steve Trevethan
    Using the societal power analysis of Michael Hudson, there are three basic power groups in society: 1) The government 2) The rich/dominant/influential ...
  • theakes
    Hope the party has learnt from this and will now take a harder line against the government whose decision making is almost as bad as the previous mob....
  • Simon Mcgrath
    Rod - that is surprising. As Chair of LDCRE i would have thought you would welcome something which would make it easier for ethnic minority members to stand...