I can live with that.Thank you very much indeed for your further e-mail about EDM 1155.
I am afraid that I do not sign EDMs, even if I agree with their wording as in this case.
EDMs, of which there are thousands about fifteen new ones are added every day when Parliament is in session are simply written motions to which MPs can add their name, but which are rarely debated and to which nothing much happens.
A very few reach the floor of the House for debate, and when they do, I always make a point of doing my best to attend and debate them, and, when occasionally the rules allow, voting on them. Sadly, when such motions are debated, the vast majority of MPs who have signed the EDM in question, either never turn up or actually vote against what they have previously signed! In other words, signing EDMs is, in my view, not the best way of representing constituents' concerns.
Signing EDMs should not be confused with an MP's actual support for an issue. As we saw recently with the Parliamentary vote on post office closures loads of Labour MPs who had already signed an EDM against post office closures went through the lobbies voting against a motion which would have stopped the closures and which was worded almost exactly the same as the EDM which they had signed. I would suggest to you that many MPs who sign EDMs are giving their constituents the false impression that they care about particular issues, but when it comes to it they will do little if anything about them. I am afraid a lot of EDM-signing is complete hypocrisy from MPs, which is why I take no part in it.
When the issue raised by an EDM is a matter for a Government Department, such as yours, I think it is far more effective to represent constituents' concerns by writing to the appropriate Minister and asking for a response to the issue raised. By this means, the Minister gets to learn of constituents' views directly from their MP, and a reply is always sent. In this regard, as you know, I have written to the appropriate Minister and will send you a copy of the reply when received.
I found this reply stuck in my spam filter :
(My MP has already referrerd this to the Minister, this is in reply to my specifically asking him to sign the EDM)
I can live with that.
Didn't get a reply from my MP.
He won't be getting a vote from me.
Not had a response from mine either (Linda Riordan, Halifax), almost a month ago now.
It's a good job I didn't vote for this particular tory twerp at the last general election. No, what am I saying, I'd never vote tory in any election.
You just have to see the video of the PCSO harassing a photographer to understand how necessary this is Muffin.
i have just found a list of M.P's and their record on EDM's
I noted that my mp who doesn't really believe in EDM's has signed 16 of them!!!!
here's the link
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/MemberList.aspx
Barely any, my local MP:
Macclesfield Winterton, Nicholas Conservative Party 278
and the top five:
Vis, Rudi Finchley and Golders Green Labour Party 978
Cryer, Ann Keighley Labour Party 970
Simpson, Alan Nottingham South Labour Party 952
Hancock, Mike Portsmouth South Liberal Democrats 922
Bottomley, Peter Worthing West Conservative Party 869
19 March 2008
Dear Mr and Mrs Fisher
Thank you for your recent email about EDM 1155 and photography in public places.
I appreciate you drawing my attention to this issue, I am not aware that this practice is particularly prevalent, and as such I would not wish to sign the EDM and criticise our police force without knowing more details.
In general, however, I believe it is important that people are aware of what their rights are. You are right that, except in exceptional circumstances, it is not an offence to take photographs in public places, indeed, thousands of people do all through the UK every day.
When there are serious concerns about national security, such as at military airports and power stations, there are provisions for photography being restricted; however, in general Government buildings are not covered. Indeed, the Houses of Parliament must be one of the most photographed buildings in the world and, whilst the Metropolitan police are running an anti-terrorism campaign encouraging the reporting of suspicious behaviour, including photographing sensitive buildings, I am not aware that this has led to any harassment of photographers.
Once again, thank you for taking the time to write to me.
Yours sincerely
Mark Simmonds MP
Boston and Skegness
:shake: See he obviously took the time to research things ... So since I'm not to good with words and fact pointing, can someone give me a good reply to that?