May 21 2007
The Conservative view of Parliament and FOI
I was pleased to see press briefing that the Conservative leadership is not behind attempts to exclude Parliament from FOI.
David Willetts went on the record expressing disagreement with the FOI amendment Bill. One cheer for that - but where were you David on Friday when you could have expressed your disagreement by voting against? I cancelled my engagements that day - why didn’t you? Clearly the Leader of the Opposition and?? the Prime Minister in waiting would find it difficult to cancel when many more people would be disappointed if they did not turn up, but the rest of us can always offer to reschedule an??engagement??for another date when Parliament calls.
I am pressing the Opposition to officially back voting this Bill down in the Lords, and to use their influence to encourage more Conservative peers to turn up and vote "No" to this measure. Actions speak louder than words. The Opposition now needs to show it will put some voting power behind its disagreement with this Bill.
The Conservative party does not need a Clause IV moment to show it has broken with its past. It needs a rejection of the political establishment??moment, when it shows it has re-engaged with a public deeply cynical??about all political parties. Our battle should not be with Conservatives past, but with apathy present. The way to tackle apathy and disillusion is to champion the rights of individuals, families and the "small platoons" against the secrecy, interference and bossiness of the state. What better way to show we have "got it", than to oppose exempting Parliament from FOI, and stand in favour of greater openness and transparency in the political process?
We need to offer a bold programme of trusting people more and asking government to do less. People are sick and tired of political parties which say one thing and do another, and with a government that interferes too much but achieves so little.
John Redwood has been the Member of Parliament for Wokingham since 1987. First attending Kent College, Canterbury, he graduated from Magdalen College...
How do I, we, lobby the House of Lords to make sure they know how many people feel are relying on them to stop this nasty bit of legislation
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You are spot on with your analysis of the status of politicians and the way in which you need to re-engage the public. However, I fear your voice will not be heard in a party led by Cameron. He has his blueprint which is to copy Blair’s assent to power. He and his juvenile advisers don’t seem to have woken up to the fact that Blair is on his way out because he is so unpopular with the public. Also, what happened to principles and integrity?
As for Willets, following his colossal faux pas over grammar schools, it is not impressive to hear him trying to earn points by today “expressing disagreement with the FOI amendment Bill” - why didn’t he speak out before the vote and, as you rightly point out, turn up to vote against this shameful bill last Friday? The rest of the shadow cabinet are equally culpable.
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John, I asked my MP ( Conservative ) why he had not voted …. the response
“Thank you. As usual I was in my constituency on Friday so not available
to vote on this Private Members Bill. I think you will find that most
MPs keep Fridays for their constituency work.”
I wonder what is of such import in constituencies that one need not bother to vote on such a matter…
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You can write to people in the House of Lords using http://www.writetothem.com/lords
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