Caroline Lucas - Open letter on Digital Economy Bill
19 March 2010
Caroline Lucas, leader of the Green Party, and parliamentary candidate in Brighton Pavilion, was one of a number of people to sign an open letter to the Guardian, criticising the proposed Digital Economy Bill:
The digital economy bill is a highly controversial bill. Many of us believe that it threatens to severely infringe fundamental human rights, by allowing the disconnection of internet accounts for alleged copyright infringement, and also by new "website blocking" laws that could result in new ways to suppress free speech and legitimate activity. There are also dangers to business, through restrictions on provision on open wifi networks, that could damage our economy.
But our worry today is that none of this will be properly debated by parliament. Last week, Harriet Harman MP failed to give the commons any reassurances that this important, complex and controversial Bill will be properly scrutinised by our elected MPs.
Democracy and accountability will be sidestepped if this bill is rushed through and amended without debate during the so-called "wash-up" process. The thousands of people we know to be contacting their MPs with concerns will find their faith in politicians even further undermined.
For these reasons we are writing to ask that those most controversial parts of the bill – clauses 11-18, covering "technical measures" and court orders for website blocking – either be properly debated, or be taken out of the Bill and subjected to genuine democratic scrutiny in a new parliament.
Signatories:
Caroline Lucas, Leader, Green Party
Peter Tatchell, human rights campaigner
Anthony Barnett, openDemocracy
Billy Bragg
Jo Glanville, Editor, Index on Censorship
Andrew Heaney, Director of Regulation, TalkTalk
Julia and Simon Indelicate, The Indelicates
Jim Killock, Executive Director, Open Rights Group
Nicholas Lansman, Secretary General, ISPA
Graham Linehan, screenwriter
Baroness Miller
Tom Watson MP
John Grogan MP
Lord Whitty, Chair, Consumer Focus
Lord Errol
Tweet
