Early Day Motion started in Parliament regarding street photography

Well, within minutes of sending my email directly to my MP (Michael Gove for Surrey Heath), both he and his researcher responded and said they would look into the issue.

Fingers crossed and hope he signs.

Give them their dues *** - they are on the ball...

:D
 
Done, but then as my MP is Labour I doubt I'll hear anything back (which AFAIK is actually a lgal requirement).
 
Done.......

This is what I wrote

I would like draw your attention to a recent Early Day Motion (EDM 1155) proposed by the MP Austin Mitchell, entitled "Photography in Public Areas".

As an amateur photographer, I am deeply concerned that we are heading down a slippery slope, where in the innocent pursuit of our hobby, we are often unfairly questioned and pursued with suspicion by those in authority, in an attempt to stop us taking photographs where it is perfectly legal to do so.

I believe this is not only due to an increasing fear, but mainly due to a lack of coherent and specific information regarding the laws surrounding photography in public places.

I would therefore be grateful if you could review, and put your signature to, this particular Early Day Motion.
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All done, great idea, fed up of no mark officials getting the law all wrong and depriving law abiding citizens of their rights & in some cases photographic equipment.
I'll lash em to the mast & have em keelhauled":clap:


Capt'n
 
Contacted my MP too.

I like Marcel's form of words (above). Mine wasn't quite as eloquent, but I played on the fact that both photographic tourism and commercial photography are economically important.
 
For the record...

"Steve
Thanks for drawing this issue to my attention. I can well understand your concerns and I am glad to hear that Austin Mitchell has put down this Early Day Motion. I will ask for my name to be added to it as soon as possible.

David Heyes MP"

(y) Nice one, Mr. Heyes!
 
just got a reply from my mp

Thanks for your email. As an amateur snapper myself, I am very happy to
sign Austin's EDM. It does seem odd that in London we are supposedly
caught by CCTV 400 times a day but still photography is restricted in
this way. Charlotte Atkins
 
Emailed Julie Kirkbridge, MP for Bromsgrove. It seems she has an interest in cultural and media matters so this may be of interest to her.

This is what I wrote:

Dear Ms Kirkbride

My partner, xxxxxxx, has contacted you on a number of occasions relating to cultural matters in Redditch, particularly the theatre there.

I would like to draw your attention to an Early Day Motion entitled "Photography in Public Places", tabled by Austin Mitchell, and invite you to put your name to it in support, especially as I understand that you have taken an interest generally in cultural and media-related matters and asked questions on them on many occasions. The text of the EDM is here and pasted below:

http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=35375&SESSION=891

"EDM 1155

PHOTOGRAPHY IN PUBLIC AREAS
11.03.2008

Mitchell, Austin

That this House is concerned to encourage the spread and enjoyment of photography as the most genuine and accessible people's art; deplores the apparent increase in the number of reported incidents in which the police, police community support officers (PCSOs) or wardens attempt to stop street photography and order the deletion of photographs or the confiscation of cards, cameras or film on various specious ground such as claims that some public buildings are strategic or sensitive, that children and adults can only be photographed with their written permission, that photographs of police and PCSOs are illegal, or that photographs may be used by terrorists; points out that photography in public places and streets is not only enjoyable but perfectly legal; regrets all such efforts to stop, discourage or inhibit amateur photographers taking pictures in public places, many of which are in any case festooned with closed circuit television cameras; and urges the Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers to agree on a photography code for the information of officers on the ground, setting out the public's right to photograph public places thus allowing photographers to enjoy their hobby without officious interference or unjustified suspicion."

I am myself an amateur photographer, and although I have not personally encountered the problems cited by Mr Mitchell in his EDM (I have done little photography in urban places where the sorts of problems cited seem to arise) I am in contact with a number of photographers who have been on the receiving end of officious and busybody-like behaviour in public places, both from officials and from members of the public. There seems to be a growing phenomenon of people going about perfectly lawful activities being accosted, and even assaulted (an amateur photographer was recently punched in the face by a man on the London Underground who objected to the photographer taking photographs of the escalator on which he was riding in one station) for a number and variety of reasons - most of which seem to stem from ignorance of the law and a growing intolerance by a small segment of the population to an entirely legal activity.

The UK has a long and proud tradition in photography, starting with the work of Fox Talbot and the production of the first paper negative in 1835 (http://www.rleggat.com/photohistory/history/talbot.htm), and is home to the world's oldest extant photographic society (Leeds, founded in 1852). Photography provides employment for many British people and enjoyment for many more and is part of our cultural history and heritage.

Please consider adding your name to the EDM as there is a danger that this freedom and lawful activity in a public place is coming under tacit and encroaching threat.

Thank you and kind regards
 
Mark Lancaster, for MK, has just received one (y)

Copied Marcel's words. So eloquently put :clap:
 
My local MP, Ed Vaizey (Wantage) has agreed to sign it as well, after I mailed him about it :)

I'm with Marcel on the commas though .... only disagree with one of his :D
 
What sort of things can i write? I have looked over what some of you have wrote and it doesn't all add up for me :) Not saying it is wrong, just i just can't word things like this correntlly (y)

Tony
 
Rt Hon Greg Knight - for East Yorkshire, has Mail

Dear Rt Hon Greg Knight,

As an amateur photographer I feel strongly about the increasing pressure on photographers to avoid public areas through continued harassment by over zealous PCs; PCSOs; Security staff and members of the public who are ignorant of the laws regarding public photography.

This is an enjoyable past time and even gainful employment for a great number of people in this country. Almost on a daily basis there are stories of photographers who have been forced to delete their photos or hand over their film just because they were taking photographs in a public place.

"Street Photography" is a perfectly legal activity and as my local Member of Parliament I urge you to join your colleagues and sign the early day motion 1155.

More information can be found here: http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=35375&SESSION=891

I hope you feel you can support this cause and try to end some of the unhelpful hysteria surrounding it,


..........................
Michael Place
.........................
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Not by best work but it's late and I should be doing Uni work

I doubt his name will be added to the list but who knows
 
I've hit up Alan Simpson (Nottingham), let's see what happens :)
 
I got a reply from his personal secretary wanting my snail mail address so he can write to me.

Considering it's me and thee who pay for his stationary, stamps and secretary I dont see why he can't email me, cheaper for us all!
 
Castle Point's MP Bob Spink responded within the hour (or his good lady wife has on his behalf). Quite pleased about the response as well....

Dear Dave,
Many thanks for your email and I hope I find you well.
Bob was one of the first people to sign support for this EDM, and he did so on my advice actually, so I am pleased to respond to your letter very positively
Please let me know if we can ever be of any further help on this or any other matter.
Very best wishes and thanks again for your email.

Janet

Secretary
Dr Bob Spink MP
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA

Unfortunately it seems that Bob has resigned from the Conservative Party, and may therefore not be the MP for Castle Point much longer. Will be a shame as he's been fairly good for us over the years.

 
Sent one off to my local MP too! Pretty much copy and pasted Marcel's as it was so well written :p
 
I just seem to have been added to my MPs junk mail list
 
When I looked yesterday there were 18 MPs names on the list who had signed. Today, its up to 23. So this campaign is having some success.

I emailed my MP (Maria Eagle) yesterday. No response so far.
 
No response from my MP (Linda Riordan) yet either.
 
Well my MP hasn't put his moniker on it yet, nor have I had a reply.
 
Ditto
 
Me ditto three :(
 
I wonder if my MP has a computer...
 
Done, Linda Gillroy has an email from me.
Even though I'm in Prague at the moment I'm still registered to vote back home :)
 
Very serious issue, lets hope we can make them see sense. My thanks to wack61 for bringing it to our attention.
 
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