Self-Serving MPs

2.16.05am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 18th May 2007

David Rendel, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for Newbury, has today emailed Richard Benyon MP to urge him to take the trouble to vote against David Maclean's Private Member's Bill in the House of Commons. If passed, the Bill will exempt MPs from the Freedom of Information Act. Recently this Act has been used to force MPs to release the details of their annual expense claims.

"If MPs pass this Bill," said Mr Rendel, "they will have no moral grounds on which to oppose the Government, if later the new Prime Minister asks Parliament to exempt all Ministers and Government Departments. Failure by the MPs to throw out the Bill will be seen as entirely self-serving."