Early Day Motion started in Parliament regarding street photography

Woot! no reply from my mp but I see he's signed up :)
 
Received a very quick reply from my man, in which he refers my concerns to Meg Hillier MP
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, and asked her to respond to me - I will post any feedback I get.
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My MP hasn't signed the EDM.
Click to expand...
I have now requested that my MP signs the EDM.

I await a response.

Maybe we could organise a TPF meet at The House of Commons - (hosted by Austin Mitchell :wave: ?), where we could meet our MPs in person ?

Failing that we could always take some pictures and if we get thrown out, it proves the point !
 
john-oh said:
I have now requested that my MP signs the EDM.

I await a response.

Maybe we could organise a TPF meet at The House of Commons - (hosted by Austin Mitchell :wave: ?), where we could meet our MPs in person ?

Failing that we could always take some pictures and if we get thrown out, it proves the point !
Click to expand...

The masses descend on London.....why not?! :D
 
Finally had a reply from the boy George. Pretty much as expected:

"Thank you for your email about EDM 1155 and photography in public places. I am sorry for the delay in replying to you.

I appreciate you drawing my attention to this issue, I am not aware that this practice is particularly prevalent, and as such I would not wish to sign the EDM and criticise our police force without knowing more details.

In general, however, I believe it is important that people are aware of what their rights are. You are right that, except in exceptional circumstances, it is not an offence to take photographs in public places, indeed, thousands of people do all through the UK every day.

When there are serious concerns about national security, such as at military airports and power stations, there are provisions for photography being restricted; however, in general Government buildings are not covered. Indeed, the Houses of Parliament must be one of the most photographed buildings in the world and, whilst the Metropolitan police are running an anti-terrorism campaign encouraging the reporting of suspicious behaviour, including photographing sensitive buildings, I am not aware that this has led to any harassment of photographers.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write to me.


Yours sincerely

George Osborne MP"

Still, give him credit that he explained his (flawed) reasoning rather than just sending a one line fob-off!
 
I thought the wording of that letter sounded familiar - and indeed it is. See post 177 in this thread.
 
Turns out my MP is a Minister (I hadn't realised that) - apologised for being unable to sign, but promised to raise concerns with his relevant ministerial colleague.
 
Having received, as I have since discovered, a standard 'form letter' negative response from my MP (Conservative), I have written back to give him some background to the campaign.

I thought the links I've dredged up to send might be useful to all:
19/11/04 - UK Photographers' Rights
16/02/07 - EPUK - Npower places injunction on EPUK member covering environmental protest
26/11/07 - EPUK - Plod prevents pics of Postman Pat
17/12/07 - Amateur Photographer - Police seize films from amateur photographer
02/01/08 - Press Gazette - Photographers claim police are exceeding their powers
23/01/08 - Amateur Photographer - Anger at police statement on 'covert' photography
02/03/08 - EPUK - Birmingham police officer 'forced press photographer to delete images'
22/03/08 - Times Online - Street photographers fear for their art amid climate of suspicion
01/03/08 - Metropolitan Police - Counter Terrorism Advertising Campaign Launched and the Poster .
01/03/08 - Current.com - You Can't Picture This - video of unlawful response by Community Support Officers in London.
27/03/08 - ePhotozine - Photography protest
31/03/08 - National Union of Journalists - Photographers' Case Taken to Scotland Yard
Quote: "The National Union of Journalists want the police to know they can no longer ignore the concerns that photographers and other media members have raised regarding the increasing harassment photographers are facing from some force members."

I've also gone and made myself a T-shirt...should anyone want to join in...
 
Here's the e-mail I've just sent back to him:

"Mr Osbourne,

I was going to e-mail back to thank you for the considered response to my e-mail, until a friend of mine showed me the reponse he'd received from his MP, Mark Prisk, on March 26th:

Thank you for your email about EDM 1155 and photography in public places.

I appreciate you drawing my attention to this issue, I am not aware that this practice is particularly prevalent, and as such I would not wish to sign the EDM and criticise our police force without knowing more details.

In general, however, I believe it is important that people are aware of what their rights are. You are right that, except in exceptional circumstances, it is not an offence to take photographs in public places, indeed, thousands of people do all through the UK every day.

When there are serious concerns about national security, such as at military airports and power stations, there are provisions for photography being restricted; however, in general Government buildings are not covered. Indeed, the Houses of Parliament must be one of the most photographed buildings in the world and, whilst the Metropolitan police are running an anti-terrorism campaign encouraging the reporting of suspicious behaviour, including photographing sensitive buildings, I am not aware that this has led to any harassment of photographers.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write to me.
Yours sincerely
Mark Prisk MP

Sound familiar?

Glad to see that Mr Osbourne has so much time for his constituents. Be assured that I will give an equal amount of consideration to the prospect of voting for him in the next elections.

Regards,

Beardedmonkey"

:nuts:
 
finally had reply after much chasing has signed and happy to do so. think i will take as long to vote!!!!!!
 
Beardedmonkey said:
Here's the e-mail I've just sent back to him:

"Mr Osbourne,

I was going to e-mail back to thank you for the considered response to my e-mail, until a friend of mine showed me the reponse he'd received from his MP, Mark Prisk, on March 26th:

...

Sound familiar?


...


Regards,

Beardedmonkey"

:nuts:
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Ha Ha Ha - brilliant :clap::clap:

Do let us know if you get a response.

There was a suggestion further up this thread that someone should tell the press about our little campaign and the effect its had. Its now got 107 signatures which, as I understand the position, is impressive for an EDM.

I still think there would be no harm to be done, if anyone has the required contacts, that the press was alerted. Of course, the story now has a very much more sexy twist to it. :naughty:
 
An idle thought really but what on earth are the police and associated security services going to do on the 13th of April - there might just be one or two photographers about snapping the London marathon (myself included). :shrug:

Of course if I was running it I'd be tempted to team up with someone and run as a Team Terrorist - one of us with explosives strapped to our torso, the other with a DSLR :lol:
 
mobilevirgin said:
I thought the wording of that letter sounded familiar - and indeed it is. See post 177 in this thread.
Click to expand...

I got the exact same letter back from my MP, Paul Goodman (Con. High Wycombe). He had added a line at the bottom of it asking me to write back if I had information to the contrary, so I did - quoting some links where he could get information on harassment.

I know these guys are busy but I consider the reply to be nothing better than SPAM now. I also forwarded the emails between us to Austin Mitchell.
 
Apparently there are now 113 signatures.

I've just written to Theresa May (Maidenhead). She's normally pretty helpful and communicative. Let's see.
 
Done, now to wait and see if I get the same bog-standard response.
 
My MP has now replied, very quickly i might add, saying despite my offering evidence of police harassment of photographers he still will not sign the EDM as it will "devalue" his signature.

Now, on receiving that reply I thought I ought to research his activities a little. It turns out he is an "associate Editor" of a parliamentary "House" magazine. This magazine is currently running a caption competition for a photograph (wait for it) featuring Gordon Brown and a couple of police officers in public on a walkabout! Can you see where this might be going? hehe

So, i'm inviting everyone to follow the links below and submit their best captions here or actually enter the competition. I think it would be terrific if the competition was either deluged (or even won) with comments related to Austin Michell's EDM.

If you want to just view the pic follow this link:

http://www.housemag.co.uk/fileadmin/Caption_images/house-caption.jpg

And if you want the entire competition follow this link:

http://www.housemag.co.uk/competitions.html

I would also be interested to know if anyone else has got a reply from their (probably conservative) MP citing the same reason for not signing.

I would mention, perhaps to his credit, he stated the following in his email "However, I want to take up the points you raise with members of our Home Affairs team, who are at present advising Conservative MPs in general not to sign the EDM in question. There's clearly a case on the evidence you present for the team to withdraw this advice. This course
of action may be more helpful to Austin Mitchell than my signature would be. "
 
Better late than never, I s'pose, but I've only just read this thread :bonk: Yes, I know it's a sticky - can't make any excuses - more :bonk: :bonk: :bonk:

I've made the point to our MP that in a tourist area like this (the New Forest) the persecution of people taking photographs is the erosion of just one more freedom. Another reason to go abroad for holidays. :(

Perhaps the tourist industry should speak up and support us - what do you think?
 
I got a letter today from my MP The Right Hon Stephen Timms.
:woot:
...about a week after the 'did you get a reply from your MP' 'yes/no' email from automated government software I used to send my request.
:thinking:


Hes stated that as a government minister hes unable to sign, but has forwarded my request for his signature and to draw attention to the matter in question to a the MP Tony McNulty at the home office.

He has stated he will send me the reply when he receives it.

Which is nice.
 
I received a reply today (less than 24 hours after I contacted him). His reply is as follows

Dear XXXXX,

Thank you for bring this Early Day Motion to my attention. I agree with you and confirm that I have now signed in support of the Motion.

Yours sincerely,
Michael Mates

However upon checking his name is not on the list
 
The list only seems to get updated once a day or something skydiver69 :) had to wait a while before my MPs name appeared.
 
I sent my MP an email two weeks ago, still no reply. Today I recieved an automated email asking if he had replied so I pressed the NO button. He hasn't sighned yet either!
wait till the left wing barsteward knocks on my door again. :bat:
 
Three weeks and still not heard a dicky bird. I'm going to write to our local press and also write again to my MP Mark Francois and ask why I've haven't had any response (either negative or positive). :annoyed:
 
I'm tempted to write something like:

Dear John Grogan.

I would like to thank you for your very reasuring respose to my letter to you recently, which had a matter I felt that my MP would possibly help me out with. Sadly this was not the case, as it has now been three weeks and I have not heard from you.

I wish to reassure you that I will be voting for you at the next election, in the same timescale that you felt it acceptable to write back to me.

For any avoidance of doubt, my tone above was one of sarcasm, you will never get my vote, as you obviously have no concern for those that elected you.
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It needs refining, but it gets the point across :D
 
Matty phrase it differently, as a question. i.e. "Tell me why I or any other constituent should vote for you when you apparently ignore attempts to contact you?"

If you simply tell him you're not going to vote for he will just think well fu and keep ignoring you as he's not losing anything by it.
 
Have written to my MP - Derek Conway, but forgot to include the used fivers so won't get much of a response :bang::bang::bang:
 
My MP (Paul Clark) has signed, he said a number of his constituents in Medway brought this to his attention and was more than happy to sign.
 
Well I *finally* got a letter this morning (Which Im upset abotu I wanted to send the reply above about taking as long to vote for them as they did to reply to me :lol: )

The standard "I'm a government minister so can't sign, so promise to pass it onto the relevant person and will reply when he hears back".

I think we should all be chasing up THIS copy paste reply too, as we're all getting promises of further communication ;)
 
Marcel said:
Well I *finally* got a letter this morning (Which Im upset abotu I wanted to send the reply above about taking as long to vote for them as they did to reply to me :lol: )

The standard "I'm a government minister so can't sign, so promise to pass it onto the relevant person and will reply when he hears back".

I think we should all be chasing up THIS copy paste reply too, as we're all getting promises of further communication ;)
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At least you`ve had a response, I have`nt heard anything from my MP, and they have a cheek to come to my house to ask me to vote for them in the local elections, I think tactical voting comes to mind.
 
Marcel said:
The standard "I'm a government minister so can't sign, so promise to pass it onto the relevant person and will reply when he hears back".
Click to expand...

Ask them to urge their colleagues to sign instead. And if your MP is conservative don't be fobbed off. Their Home Affairs team has been instructing them to not sign the EDM (why???).

Also ask them if they subscribe to the parliamentary in-house magazine "House", as it's running a caption competition featuring a photo of Gordon Brown on public walkabout with a couple of coppers - the very type of photo opportunity the EDM seeks to preserve (amongst others). I posted fuller details of this a little earlier in this thread.

My MP declined to sign. I found out he is a paid associate editor of this magazine and I haven't heard from him since I pointed out the irony of his decision... ;)
 
131 have signed so far, I think that's pretty impressive considering most of them will have signed under pressure from their constituents
 
Beardedmonkey said:
Here's the e-mail I've just sent back to him:

"Mr Osbourne,

I was going to e-mail back to thank you for the considered response to my e-mail, until a friend of mine showed me the reponse he'd received from his MP, Mark Prisk, on March 26th:

Thank you for your email about EDM 1155 and photography in public places.

I appreciate you drawing my attention to this issue, I am not aware that this practice is particularly prevalent, and as such I would not wish to sign the EDM and criticise our police force without knowing more details.

In general, however, I believe it is important that people are aware of what their rights are. You are right that, except in exceptional circumstances, it is not an offence to take photographs in public places, indeed, thousands of people do all through the UK every day.

When there are serious concerns about national security, such as at military airports and power stations, there are provisions for photography being restricted; however, in general Government buildings are not covered. Indeed, the Houses of Parliament must be one of the most photographed buildings in the world and, whilst the Metropolitan police are running an anti-terrorism campaign encouraging the reporting of suspicious behaviour, including photographing sensitive buildings, I am not aware that this has led to any harassment of photographers.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write to me.
Yours sincerely
Mark Prisk MP

Sound familiar?

Glad to see that Mr Osbourne has so much time for his constituents. Be assured that I will give an equal amount of consideration to the prospect of voting for him in the next elections.

Regards,

Beardedmonkey"

:nuts:
Click to expand...

After 3 weeks waiting for a response I got a letter from my MP (Mark Francois) saying exactly the same as Beardedmonkey above :thumbsdown:. Firstly in my text emailed to him I have at no time criticised the police force and the EDM is just asking for clarification of the Laws surrounding this area.
Secondly is it not the role of an MP to act on behalf of their constituents rather than blindly pass judgement on the request.
Thirdly and I think most importantly does this not seem as if some are acting as a group with their own agenda.
 
What party are these cloned mps' part of?


Anyone who says the party of the first part gets slapped with a frozen kipper!
 
Just a thought, as london seems to be the nucleus for all this, does anyone there know what Ken Livingstones thoughts are. (does Ken Livingstone think at all?)
 
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