I emailed Don Foster, my local MP, the following earlier today:
Hi
I was wondering if you could clarify for me the position you are taking on the DE Bill? I’ve seen that there are elements that you support and others that you do not but it would be helpful to have a bit more info. As a creative myself I would hate to think that the Digital Economy Bill was being voted though on my behalf when it is blatantly obvious that this bill will not support the creative industries in any way, shape of form. It is a poorly structured bill with serious repercussions for us all, and many worrying legal features that could easily be exploited by the next government, whoever they may be.
I look forward to your replay and hope that Don Foster will be voting against the DE Bill today
Kind regards
Karl
Just got the reply:
Thank you for writing to Don Foster MP about the Digital Economy Bill. Don has asked me to respond on his behalf.
The Liberal Democrats will not accept anything in this bill that has not received adequate consideration, nor any parts that do not come with much greater opportunity for consideration later on.
The government has handled its legislative timetable extremely badly, and this Bill should have been debated much more. Don Foster MP, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for this issue, recently argued in the Commons that government handling of the bill has been “totally inappropriate”.
File sharing, however, is a serious issue that should have been addressed a long time ago. The Bill remains our best opportunity to start the process of handling it. But we have demanded that in every part of the bill relating to file sharing there must be plenty of opportunity for further deliberation later, to take account of the limited debate there has been in this parliament.
The Liberal Democrats have fought very hard to ensure that the Bill’s controversial elements can only be brought into effect after plenty of time has passed, followed by consultation, further scrutiny, and the opportunity for Parliament to debate, amend, or even vote against the plans. Liberal Democrats will not accept these sections of the Bill without this rigorous and thorough process.
Measures to enable site blocking, however, should not be in the Digital Economy Bill as it is simply too new an addition. We will not support any such measures. If the power to block websites is not removed from the Bill, then our MPs will vote against it in the Commons.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Campion-Awwad
Office of Don Foster MP
Liberal Democrat MP for Bath
Shadow Secretary for Culture, Media and Sport
Which sounds like they’ll vote for it and hope to have another crack at reforming it next Parliament…not sure that will work, but it looks like it’s all we’ll be getting.
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