One rule for FoI's Maclean and another for us

David Maclean MP has demonstrated the contempt MP hold the public in with his shameful private members bill on Freedom of Information Act restrictions and personal expenses. The bill came closer to reality on Friday night. If the bill becomes an Act then the Hose of Commons and Lords will be exempt from an Act they have foisted on the public and information professionals across the land.

To make this seedy episode that little bit dirtier, the MP pushing the bill was discovered to have spent £3,300 on a quad bike to use at agricultural shows in his Penrith community.

I suggest information professionals let Mr Maclean know their thoughts:

David Maclean a Conservative MP, who tabled the bill suffers from multiple sclerosis and sought approval from the Commons to buy the vehicle on expenses, which they gave. It is just this example of expenditure that will be covered up by his bill.

Now I have a lot of experience of agricultural communities and shows, and I have some experience of MS; as a result I know how large and tiring these shows are and the need for suitable transport if you suffer from MS.

But under Maclean's new bill the public would never know that £3,300 of their money had been spent on Maclean and that when he steps down from Parliament how he'll have a nice asset in his garage thanks to us. Nor would we be able to engage in an educated debate with him on why he doesn't hire these vehicles for the small number of agricultural shows that take place each summer? Nor would we be able to question him about whether he could simply drive around the show in Land Rover, I'm sure show organisers would allow it. No, the public and information gatherers would be on the back foot, we wouldn't be able to challenge Mr Maclean because we would not have the facts to hand and there would be no way of getting to them.

There is no doubt that there are instances when an MP needs to be careful not to disclose details in an FoI response that may put constituent at harm. But the original Act provided methods to gauge when and what information should be released. A blanket restriction creates an environment open to corruption from MPs and prevents a case by case analysis.

Those who voted in favour of this restriction, and especially Maclean put agricultural communities, MS suffers, Parliament and

Great Britain

to shame. It has been a dark weekend for information.