Some UK MPs are supporting a cynical attempt to remove themselves from the Freedom of Information requirements. A backbench Conservative MP, David Maclean, has a private members’ Bill which is being provided with government time to get it through the commons which would severely restrict MPs needs to reveal information about themselves. Freedom of Information is a necessity for accountable government. The Telegraph has a piece on this. I have written to my own MP urging him to turn up to the debate and vote against this bill:


Dear Robert Wilson,

I am writing to express the hope that you will be turning up this coming Friday to vote down the despicable attempt by one of your fellow backbenchers to collude with the current government to roll back from the much-needed Freedom of Information Act. As an academic working at the University of Reading, also subject to the Act, and a researcher in the social impact of computing, I am well aware of the time and energy that FoI can consume for organisations, and of the possible conflict with personal privacy. However, the existing laws, overseen by the Information Commissioner, has shown itself so far to be a reasonable set of lines. What is at fault is the continuing reluctance of civil servants and MPs to be truly held to account for their activities in positions of power. Availability of information is a pre-requisite to democratic accountability. MPs must hold themselves to a HIGHER, not LOWER, standard than others in public life.