Campaign to stop bid to exlude MPs' expenses from FOI Act!

The Campaign for Freedom of Information is urging its supporters to write to their MPs opposing the Government's move to exclude MPs' expenses from the FOI Act. The measure is being rushed through Parliament at extraordinary speed with no public consultation or advance warning. You can read more about it on the Campaign's website here.

You can write to your MP via the WritetoThem website. Please ask them to vote against the Freedom of Information (Parliament) Order 2009 on 22 January and sign Early Day Motion 492 sponsored by Jo Swinson MP opposing the Order. A list of MPs who have signed the motion is available here. A list of who actually votes for or against the Order on 22 January will be published on the Campaign's website.

The detailed expenses of all public officials, across the whole public sector, are publicly available on request under the FOI Act. Only MPs’ expenses would be given special protection. No justification for this special treatment has been offered - and it is difficult to see what explanation there could be. The Campaign believes it deeply inappropriate - and damaging to Parliament’s reputation - that MPs should seek such special protection from a measure which they have deemed should apply to everyone else.