Clegg: Digital Economy Bill must be repealed

That's one of the problems of safe-seat, first past the post, two party politics. This country needs a Balanced Parliament, but not before some of the MPs are hung!

By SwissMac on 16 Apr 2010

Repealed?

It should be buried at crossroads with a stake through its heart.

This is one of the worst bills since RIP. The DEB essentially bypasses due process and judicial oversight by allowing material to be declared illegal (IE a copyright violation, or an illegal download) simply based on the say so of somebody who may not even have to be the copyright owner. There is no need for a court ruling, it's literally just say-so.

This effectively wipes out fair use criteria, and allows material that even "looks a bit like" something that is copyrighted to be wiped right off of the internet with no actual determination being made as to its legality by a court of law.

I recall that Soviet Russia was a bit like that.

By Perfectblue97 on 16 Apr 2010

The whole bill looks a mess. Thankfully with the Liberals 14 points up in the polls we might see a change.

By Amnesia10 on 16 Apr 2010

This is not good for my idea :-(

I was going to make and copyright something called "taking bribes". Then download via a torrent using wireless of; MPs who voted in favour of the law and the House of Commons (or just clone their IP addresses).

Simple to track the IP, take to court for not stopping "taking bribes" being downloaded over their connection.

Repeat a few times and get them cut off from the net, if next step goes through.

I know as the rights holder it's not an illegal download but it only has to be suspected.

By nicholbb1 on 16 Apr 2010

I would imagine he's left himself wriggle-room, but he sounds like he was set against it.
If only a third of MPs turned up, then a full showing of Lib Dems could have swung the vote. So the question is why didn't they show up? All mouth and no trousers? :)

On a more general point how many other debates are MPs unqualified to vote on? IT is one. Medical? Philosophical? Poverty? Law?

By davidsoap on 17 Apr 2010

@ davidsoap

Could not agree more.

Government and MP's keep banging on about people being qualified for the job and needing pieces of paper to prove it. What piece of paper proves that MPs are qualified to be considered for being an MP. Which college for instance, has a Member of Parliament Access Course.

By chapelgarth on 17 Apr 2010

@ davidsoap

The bill had 180+ votes in favour. There are, currently, 67 Lib Dem MP's. So your point "All mouth and no trousers?" is just a fail if only on the basic maths!

Having said that, why not join the momentum currently propelling the Lib Dems and vote FOR them?

By fingerbob69 on 17 Apr 2010

@fingerbob69
The best I can find at the mo' is:
http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=201
0-04-07&number=132&display=allvotes
which says that only 18 Lib Dems voted (28.6%), all voting against. The bill's majority was 142, so you are correct that they could not possibly have swung it, but the fact that 71.4% couldn't even be bothered to show up is not very impressive, and does undermines Clegg. (Conservatives should hang their heads in shame with a 4.7% turnout)

I'm in a Tory stronghold, so 'my vote doesn't count' either. Lib Dems probably stand the best chance for decades, but they ain't my thang.

By davidsoap on 19 Apr 2010