Transparency in politics
Posted by Simon Hughes, MP for North Southwark and Bermondsey, at 14:50, Fri 23 January 2009:
Dear constituents,
Thank you to everyone who contacted me recently about the proposed Freedom of Information exemption for MPs. It was in no small part due to the pressure applied by the public through contacting their MPs and through the media that the government dropped the motion.
Liberal Democrats have consistently called for greater transparency in politics and the way MPs spend public money. MPs should not be exempt from the Freedom of Information Act and I am delighted that we have won this battle. Should the government try and introduce this exemption again then we will strongly and loudly oppose it.
More information on this and other events in parliament and in the constituency are below in my regular round up. Do please provide your comments...
With best wishes,
Simon Hughes
"Obviously this year has not started well for people like local Woolworth’s employees who have lost their jobs and others whose jobs are much more at risk now than recently. That’s why on Friday week, 30th January, from 10 am to 1pm upstairs in the Elephant & Castle Shopping Centre I will be available with Southwark Works to help everybody faced with actual or threatened redundancy. If you are looking for work or threatened with losing it, please come - and tell your neighbours if they need help too. The New Year has also not started well for Londoners affected by noise and pollution from Heathrow, who have now been told by the Labour government that Heathrow needs a third runway. Hopefully the next election will allow this decision to be changed.
But out of the gloom there have been signs of hope in recent days. In Gaza, thank God, there has been a ceasefire – and unjustified attacks have stopped. Israel is entitled to exist, within internationally agreed boundaries, without attack, but until the world accepts and allows Palestine to exist as a full state as well, there will never be peace and justice in the Middle East. I will continue doing all I can to support the people of Palestine until there is a permanent end to their uniquely unsafe conditions. In Washington, Barack Obama has this week taken over from George Bush. Rarely in our times has one individual politician seemed more able to personify ability and hope – and we must all wish and pray that, under his leadership, the most powerful country in the world will regain its reputation and be a new beacon of freedom, equality and justice. And at home, Neil Harris has gone into the record books as Millwall’s greatest ever goal scorer. Neil is such a great local role model as well as a great and loyal Millwall player – and it was really good to see him and his family on such good form during and after last weekend’s game.
In parliament, there are many reasons to take on the government. First - my new national responsibility gives me the chance to lead the battle for fair fuel bills – particularly for older and single people and low users. Second, almost incredibly, this week the Leader of the Commons is trying to persuade parliament to change the courts’ decision and restrict public access to MPs expenses - which will do terrible damage to the already damaged reputation of parliament. Third, 100 years exactly,after the first state pension introduced by a Liberal government, the Labour government have still not restored the earnings link which Mrs Thatcher ended.
So plenty to report on. The battle for a fairer Britain and a fairer London will go on every week of this year."
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