Brits: Act now to stop Parliament from hiding MPs' expense accounts!

Stef sez, "On Thursday, British MPs are voting to change the law to keep their expenses secret after all, exempting themselves from Freedom of Information legislation. The information has already been compiled, at a cost of a million pounds to the taxpayer, and was due to be published shortly. The Order was snuck in quietly last Thursday (under the Heathrow Runway announcement). We have 3 days for people to act."

TheyWorkForYou.com asks every British Boing Boing reader to take a few moments to contact their MP, join the inevitable Facebook group, and tell everyone they know about it!"

Freedom of Information (Parliament) Order 2009 (Thanks, Stef!)

Previously:

UK MPs to hide their expenses from Freedom of Information requests ...

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Hamish MacDonald

Ick.

Thanks for making me aware of this. As a result of this post, I’ve sent a message through TheyWorkForYou, and I’ve also discovered that my local MP has a blog. Information is good.

Cheers!
Ohmz

Letter sent to my local MP.

Cheers for the heads up Cory.
David Carroll

Rwmj (#4)

I suspect you think I was slamming the USA. Nothing of the sort. The “former backwater dominion” I was referring to is Canada, my home and native land.

We like depreciating humour up here….
ab5tract

And I thought the USA was confusing…
captainmish

Ive had a response back from my MP saying that the argument against disclosure is security – a lot of MPs are single women, and we dont want their home addresses being leaked. It could reveal “key holders to properties” or addresses where partners or children live. It seems there is a bit of confusion about having actual receipts available, and having amounts available.
I reminded her about the phone book and the ease of looking up an address that way. Another argument was that credit card details could be printed on receipts: this is simply false, and I would imagine any company printing credit card numbers on receipts are violating some kind of data protection law.
I cant think of any serious security issues that could be created (ie that do not already exist) by revealing this informaition and I have asked for specific scenarios where disclosure may present a real security risk.
mdh

@David Carrol – amybe not, Obama HAD mention his visits to all 57 states… perhaps he’s really from the future.
Takuan

http://www.wallpaperbase.com/wallpapers/cartoons/chickenrun/chicken_run_3.jpg
chaschas

I wrote to my MP, David Curry (Conservative, Skipton and Ripon), and got this reply: “I am sorry but I believe you are wrong. No-one is trying to conceal expenses. It is a question as to what is a sensible level of detail. As for EDM I cannot see the earthly point of signing an EDM when the issue has to be voted on in the Commons itself. It has the whiff of sanctimoniousness about it. DC”

I was pleased that he replied in person and gave his opinion straight but feel the only positive justification he offers for concealment is that vague and shifting word “sensible”.
chillitom

@13strong – exactly the same, my MP is Emily Thornberry for Islington South and Finsbury. Most dismal voting record I’ve seen, I don’t understand her motivations at all.
Takuan

ummmm…money?
13strong

@ #13: CHILLITOM

I’ll be moving back to Scotland soon enough, and won’t have to put up with this as much of this kind of evasive, conservative bullshit.
13strong

I’ve already contacted my local MP about this.

She’s a bit of a New Labour lapdog, though (voted for ID cards; against an investigation into the Iraq war), so I’m not getting my hopes up.

I haven’t received a response from her either.
phillsmiff

I’m in, just sent my local MP a letter via the online form. Those sleazy scumbags think they can hide their grotesque abuse of public money right in the middle of the worst recession for sixty years? I really hope this order doesn’t pass.
David Carroll

The day the rule of law does not apply equally to all citizens, especially it’s leaders, is the day a country is no longer a democracy.

Hey that’s not completely bad! Can someone send that into Bartlett’s for me?

Seriously: As a lowly citizen of a backwater former British dominion, what can I do to help besides join a Facebook group?
rwmj

Seriously: As a lowly citizen of a backwater former British dominion, what can I do to help besides join a Facebook group?

Come on, that’s a bit harsh. I’m sure Obama can still turn things around for you guys …