A while ago Honda ran some ads with the strap 'isn't it nice when things just work?' For a change I'm feeling that way about British democracy this morning. Yes, really.
Yesterday I spent an hour or so emailing every single Liberal Democrat MP (there are quite a few) to explain my concerns about clause 43 in the proposed Digital Economy Bill. It was essential to get the Lib Dems on board, the Conservatives having already come out strongly against clause 43 and the Labour government seemingly implacable in the face of concerted pressure to drop an ill thought-out and badly worded piece of draft legislation. I'm certain I wasn't the only one filling parliamentary inboxes yesterday lunchtime.
A couple of hours later I received this ever so slightly cryptic response from Lembit Opik: 'I agree and it's been fixed'.
Now call me a cynic, but when an MP says it's been fixed I have to wonder... fixed to his (or her) satisfaction... or really fixed?
But he was right. Clause 43 is no more. Democracy in action...
It's not over yet, but the immediate prospect of photographers losing their own (intellectual) property through poorly thought out legislation has receded. That should be enough to brighten anyone's morning.
It's fantastic news. I've been following the campaign via the Facebook group. There's still a lot wrong with the bill but so glad this section got dropped!
My MP couldn't even be bothered to turn up!
Posted by: Andy | April 09, 2010 at 09:43 PM