Banned from writing
A reader sent us the following item, which we highlight below because it is something to note on how some newspaper react to items sent to them.
I have been banned from "Thisis" sites. My crime? On the ThisisHull site I dared to publish the voting pattern of the Labour MP Diana Johnson under an article about her expenses claims in that paper. It showed how she voted on such issues as the war in Iraq, the investigation into that conflict, Trident, student top-up fees, the smoking ban etc. The first response of Johnson’s constituency office was to have the entire comments section of the article removed. I protested about this action under other articles. My comments and those of other contributors relating to the topic were all removed and I was banned from publishing any more comments on the ThisisHull site and, it appears, all of its sister sites around the country. I re-registered using a different email account and pen-name. Then pointed out what had happened and all comments were wiped and I was banned from all the Thisis sites for a second time.
I have waited for matters to cool down before making this third effort to simply tell you all that, if you wish to see any MP’s voting record in the House of Commons, speeches made on the topics, committees attended, register of financial interests and their expense claims since 2001, do the following:
Google the MP’s name and then select the website with the address theyworkforyou.com at the bottom. It will take you directly to the relevant page (it is otherwise a difficult site to navigate). It will show the voting pattern of that MP on major issues since 2001 (provided by the Chief Whip’s Office) and their expenses etc.
I used to scoff at people who complained about the control freakery of New Labour and other parties that are now aping it but not any more. This kind of political censorship is akin to stuff that went on in the old Soviet Union.
I have waited for matters to cool down before making this third effort to simply tell you all that, if you wish to see any MP’s voting record in the House of Commons, speeches made on the topics, committees attended, register of financial interests and their expense claims since 2001, do the following:
Google the MP’s name and then select the website with the address theyworkforyou.com at the bottom. It will take you directly to the relevant page (it is otherwise a difficult site to navigate). It will show the voting pattern of that MP on major issues since 2001 (provided by the Chief Whip’s Office) and their expenses etc.
I used to scoff at people who complained about the control freakery of New Labour and other parties that are now aping it but not any more. This kind of political censorship is akin to stuff that went on in the old Soviet Union.
I am an individual. I do not belong to any organisation or political party. I am fiercely in favour of freedom of information, especially about the MPs we elect to represent us in Parliament. Some of them do not want us to have that freedom.
Freedom, of Information
