Early Day Motion started in Parliament regarding street photography

My MP has finally signed, took a second e-mail but he's done it. Got a reply from his office, which he added a handwritten footnote to agreeing with my views and thanking me for bringing the matter to his attention. So fair play to Mr Lamb.
 
I got a second reply from my MP today (in the post).

He has forwarded on a reply from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.


"Constituent : Mr Booth
Ref : etc

Thankyou for your letter of 8th April 2008.

The department aims to respond to your query in full by 15 May 2008 at the latest.

In the meantime, if you have any interim queries please do not hesitate to contact us on 020 etc etc"

He has promised to also forward on any further replies.
So it looks like they're getting to the right people! :)
 
Today I recieved another letter from my MP.

The first letter I recieved.

Dear XXXX
Many thanks for your emails in support of Austin Mitchell`s EDM on photography.
I do not sign EDMs as they do not actually achieve anything, but much prefer to take up the issue with the minister concerned.

This I have done today and will write to you, and all the others who have written, again once I recieve a reply.

Yours sincerly
Andrew
...........................................................................

The second letter.........I recieved today.

Dear xxxxx

Further to our previous correspondence, I am attaching a copy of the reply I now recieved from the Rt Hon Jacqui smith MP, Home Secretary, The contents of which are self-explanatory.
Please let me know, in the light of this reply, if there are any further points you wish me to raise.

with best wishes
Yours sincerly
Andrew
.......................................................................

The letter from the home secretary

Dear Andrew
There is no legal restrictions on photography in public places, and there is no presumption of privacy for indiividuals in a public place.

It is for the Chief constable to ensure that officers and PCSOs are acting appropriately with regards to photography in public places, and any queries regarding this should be addressed to the chief constable.

However, decisions may be made locally to restrict photography, for example to protect children. Any questions on such local decisions should also be addressed to the force concerned.

Jaqui smith
 
poacher said:
...snip

The letter from the home secretary

Dear Andrew
There is no legal restrictions on photography in public places, and there is no presumption of privacy for indiividuals in a public place.

It is for the Chief constable to ensure that officers and PCSOs are acting appropriately with regards to photography in public places, and any queries regarding this should be addressed to the chief constable.

However, decisions may be made locally to restrict photography, for example to protect children. Any questions on such local decisions should also be addressed to the force concerned.

Jaqui smith
Click to expand...



Had exactly the same response as well.:(

Although mine wasn't to Andrew! :LOL:
 
Aye, but surely it's her job to make sure the chief constables are training their officers correctly?
 
Shouldn't it be "are no legal restrictions" :thinking:
 
Sorry, I didn't assume any different poacher. I assumed the mistake was hers anyway, hence me pointing it out :)
 
Jaqui smith's informative reply said:
It is for the Chief constable to ensure that officers and PCSOs are acting appropriately with regards to photography in public places, and any queries regarding this should be addressed to the chief constable.
Click to expand...

That's the problem though. Concrete knowledge on the rights of photographers will never filter down to every PCSO and cop on the streets. If they don't know the law now, chances are they never will. It's disappointing, but I think it's just something we're going to have to deal with as it happens.
 
Well I'm hoping I get the same letter from JS, because if so I'll be writing to my Chief Constable :)
 
Well I've just spent 10 minutes detailing the reply I received, and on going to "Post Quick Reply" ... no permission to post, please refresh and log in again and... all my typing gone!
So the short version,
Reply received from my MP with a copy of letter from Tony McNulty at the Home Office.
 
It's taken a while, but Alan Simpson of South Notts wrote to me today saying he's 'already signed' the motion.
 
captain jack said:
Have now recieved reply, he says that as a gov.minister he does not sign EDM's, however he has refered it to the justice dept. & tells me that when he gets a reply he will get in touch. I shall post the reply when I get it.

PS I "e" mailed him the "you can't picture this" clip, just to get the point over

Capt'n
Click to expand...

Got the reply today from MP Dereck Twigg, he sends me a copy of a letter to mimself from Tony Mcnulty in response to my question. I shall carry a copy around with me in case of trouble, feel free to do the same.

letter_about_photography.jpg
[/IMG]

What do you think then ?

Capt'n
 
captain jack said:


Got the reply today from MP Dereck Twigg, he sends me a copy of a letter to mimself from Tony Mcnulty in response to my question. I shall carry a copy around with me in case of trouble, feel free to do the same.

letter_about_photography.jpg
[/IMG]

What do you think then ?

Capt'n
Click to expand...


That is exactly the same letter my MP recieved from jaqui smith the home seretary.
 
poacher said:
...........................................................................


.......................................................................

The letter from the home secretary

Dear Andrew
There is no legal restrictions on photography in public places, and there is no presumption of privacy for indiividuals in a public place.

It is for the Chief constable to ensure that officers and PCSOs are acting appropriately with regards to photography in public places, and any queries regarding this should be addressed to the chief constable.

However, decisions may be made locally to restrict photography, for example to protect children. Any questions on such local decisions should also be addressed to the force concerned.

Jaqui smith
Click to expand...



Looks like a standard letter then :shrug:
 
Exactly the same letter I received this morning, however mine mentioned me personally, rather than "A number of your constituents", and was via Margaret Hodge at the Department for CMS.

However, the signature is different (not much, but noticably so), so either he's been personally signing, or they have a bank of a few signatures to use on his behalf ;)
 
Hey!
I got a letter from the House Of Commons today! It was from my MP, and reads as follows:

Dear Stephen Wright,

Thank you very much for your e-mail concerning the issue of 'Photography in Public Areas'.

I am also a very keen supporter of this campaign and have already added my signature to this Early Day Motion (1155)

Yours sincerely,
Alan Simpson MP.
 
Yes, got my letter as well, also dated 25th April 08 - must have done a job lot.
 
Me too, letters yesterday morning, same letter as above, me named and signed by hand.

Nowt wrong with that. :clap:

captain jack said:


Got the reply today from MP Dereck Twigg, he sends me a copy of a letter to mimself from Tony Mcnulty in response to my question. I shall carry a copy around with me in case of trouble, feel free to do the same.



What do you think then ?

Capt'n
Click to expand...


I think we've been successful. (y)...well done all. :clap:



Good idea about carrying it with me (y)...whooohaaaa, almost looking forward to getting hassled again. :LOL:
 
Thats a great idea about carrying it around with me :D
 
Marcel said:
Exactly the same letter I received this morning, however mine mentioned me personally, rather than "A number of your constituents", and was via Margaret Hodge at the Department for CMS.

However, the signature is different (not much, but noticably so), so either he's been personally signing, or they have a bank of a few signatures to use on his behalf ;)
Click to expand...

Just received the same letter today but like Marcel was referred to personally and with a variation of the signature.
 
poacher said:
Today I recieved another letter from my MP.

The first letter I recieved.

Dear XXXX
Many thanks for your emails in support of Austin Mitchell`s EDM on photography.
I do not sign EDMs as they do not actually achieve anything, but much prefer to take up the issue with the minister concerned.

This I have done today and will write to you, and all the others who have written, again once I recieve a reply.

Yours sincerly
Andrew
...........................................................................

The second letter.........I recieved today.

Dear xxxxx

Further to our previous correspondence, I am attaching a copy of the reply I now recieved from the Rt Hon Jacqui smith MP, Home Secretary, The contents of which are self-explanatory.
Please let me know, in the light of this reply, if there are any further points you wish me to raise.

with best wishes
Yours sincerly
Andrew
.......................................................................

The letter from the home secretary

Dear Andrew
There is no legal restrictions on photography in public places, and there is no presumption of privacy for indiividuals in a public place.

It is for the Chief constable to ensure that officers and PCSOs are acting appropriately with regards to photography in public places, and any queries regarding this should be addressed to the chief constable.

However, decisions may be made locally to restrict photography, for example to protect children. Any questions on such local decisions should also be addressed to the force concerned.

Jaqui smith
Click to expand...

I got that letter but it wasn't signed by Jaqui Smith!
 
Well blow me. I had all but given up on my MP responding to this; I had recieved the standard email response when I first contacted him in March.

Today, I recieve a letter on very nice House of Commons headed paper. Unfortunately, this was the standard tory letter that everyone else had been sent. :rules:

Not bad response time though: 10 weeks :clap:
 
I had give up waiting for reply from my MP but on a whim I checked the Signature list on the EDM and she has done it at last...

No letters as of yet but give her time...

Bless her can't be easy writing a couple of letters and wandering round all day..

Shutterman
 
My MP Nick Palmer isnt on the list of Signatures so dropped him an email.
 
Got a few replies back.. this one looks like they are going to get down to business:

Dear Mr Foster,

Nick has asked me to follow up on this issue, and I shall write to the
minister concerned. Could you please send me your postal address so that
I can return the reply?

Sincerely,

Dave Wright
RA to Nick Palmer MP
Click to expand...
 
I find it funny how they say we cant but when you watch thing like road wars they are allowed to film in a public place??
 
All, I can say is ''WOW''...Down here in the U.S., The freedom of the photographer is protected by our first amendment rights, ''Hence'' all the paparazzi snap shots you see in tabloids all over the world.. Basically, everything that the photographer shoots from a ''public spot / space / area'' is fair game, even shooting into a private area. Hence the paparzzi hanging out in trees in public areas shooting into the windows of celebrities., etc. Personally, I am huge fan of the first amaendment, but the papparazi do make me sick...They do mess it up for allot a folks, like myself who often does shoot in HollyWood and universal and am often taken for a paparrazi.... Unfortunattly you will have some people shooting young children and things they ought not shoot...
 
jgredline said:
All, I can say is ''WOW''...Down here in the U.S., The freedom of the photographer is protected by our first amendment rights, ''Hence'' all the paparazzi snap shots you see in tabloids all over the world.. Basically, everything that the photographer shoots from a ''public spot / space / area'' is fair game, even shooting into a private area. Hence the paparzzi hanging out in trees in public areas shooting into the windows of celebrities., etc. Personally, I am huge fan of the first amaendment, but the papparazi do make me sick...They do mess it up for allot a folks, like myself who often does shoot in HollyWood and universal and am often taken for a paparrazi.... Unfortunattly you will have some people shooting young children and things they ought not shoot...
Click to expand...

The NYPD Harasses a Photographer at Coney Island

Manhattan commercial photographer Simon Lund loves Coney Island so much that he treks out there 10 to 20 times each summer to take pictures. But it was only on his latest venture that Lund encountered something he'd never experienced in all his trips there over the years: an unwanted photo editor from the NYPD.

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0824,shoot-first-hand-over-film-later,464895,2.html
 
jgredline said:
All, I can say is ''WOW''...Down here in the U.S., The freedom of the photographer is protected by our first amendment rights, ''Hence'' all the paparazzi snap shots you see in tabloids all over the world.. Basically, everything that the photographer shoots from a ''public spot / space / area'' is fair game, even shooting into a private area. Hence the paparzzi hanging out in trees in public areas shooting into the windows of celebrities., etc. Personally, I am huge fan of the first amaendment, but the papparazi do make me sick...They do mess it up for allot a folks, like myself who often does shoot in HollyWood and universal and am often taken for a paparrazi.... Unfortunattly you will have some people shooting young children and things they ought not shoot...
Click to expand...


I thought you also had a restriction on selling people shots, (except the paps for news reasons etc) ...don't you have to get an image release from the person photographed to publish the shot ... or have i got the wrong end of the stick?
 
poacher said:
The NYPD Harasses a Photographer at Coney Island

Manhattan commercial photographer Simon Lund loves Coney Island so much that he treks out there 10 to 20 times each summer to take pictures. But it was only on his latest venture that Lund encountered something he'd never experienced in all his trips there over the years: an unwanted photo editor from the NYPD.

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0824,shoot-first-hand-over-film-later,464895,2.html
Click to expand...

Yes, we will still get harassed by the local cops, but legally there is nothing they can do. Only if we shoot from Private property can they confiscate the images. This did happen to me once at the Kodak theature in Hollywood. They took my memory card from me. That is when I started looking into the photo journalist rights.. I have the PDF at home. I will see if I can post it up.
 
Forbiddenbiker said:
I thought you also had a restriction on selling people shots, (except the paps for news reasons etc) ...don't you have to get an image release from the person photographed to publish the shot ... or have i got the wrong end of the stick?
Click to expand...

Nope, If I take the picture from a public area even shooting into a private area, it is fair game. This is how you see many celebs caught in not so good of situations.


Sadly there is a case here right now of a known pedofile who takes pictures and videos of kids and while he does get arrested, they keep having to let him go because he is not breaking current laws.This guy is so sick and open about it, it is disgusting. ...So sad. While there is some good with the first amendment, there are those who will exploit it.
I will see if I can find that news article on this fool.
 
social_lurker said:
Well blow me. I had all but given up on my MP responding to this; I had recieved the standard email response when I first contacted him in March.

Today, I recieve a letter on very nice House of Commons headed paper. Unfortunately, this was the standard tory letter that everyone else had been sent. :rules:

Not bad response time though: 10 weeks :clap:
Click to expand...

Why is it a "tory" letter?

I thought we had a Labour Government?
 
l'm lucky enough to have Austin Mitchell as my local MP, so l guess l don't need to write to any body.

He also has some of his work in our local hospital. He's not bad actually.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top