WRITTEN ON June 13th, 2009 BY William Heath AND STORED IN Political engagement

Steiney’s on the march with another MySoc campaign:

Earlier in the year you fought a campaign to prevent MPs voting to hide their expenses. And you won, and Parliament was shaken to its foundations.

Now MPs are about to vote for a new Speaker. Some of the Candidates publicly endorse clear principles of transparency and Internet friendliness. Others don’t even have email account with which to write back to our request.

This 12th June you can take part in a mobilisation to tell our MPs that we expect them only to vote for a Speaker who’s publicly declared their support for an Internet-era of transparency.

All you have to do is go to http://writetothem.com and tell your MP you expect them to vote exclusively for candidates who have publicly endorsed mySociety’s 3 Principles.

You can see more detail about the principles here:
http://tinyurl.com/phzhzp

And a list of who has endorsed so far here:
http://tinyurl.com/lalvsj

Good luck, and please tell your friends when you hit ‘send’ on your letter to your MP.

There’s a Facebook event here with which you’d need to be digitally engaged I think.Here’s my letter:

FOR THE ATTENTION OF:

Jeremy Hunt MP
South West Surrey

Saturday 13 June 2009
William Heath
Vann South
Vann Lane
Hambledon
Surrey
GU8 4EF

wmheath@gmail.com
01428 683113

Dear Jeremy

Thanks for doing the Farnham expenses meeting – I’m sure it was the right thing to do – and for answering my question.

It’s now essential to restore trust that we get a credible and competent Speaker. This means pro-transparency and Internet-friendly.

MySociety, which I support, has set out three principles on this (see below). I note with interest the candidates for the role of Speaker who have endorsed these principles, and those who have not replied ( http://www.mysociety.org/2009/06/10/speaker-candidates-half-the-field-now-endorses-mysocietys-principles/ ).

I trust you suport these principles yourself, and that you will vote only for a candiate who does also.

Thank you for your continued work in the constituency.

Yours Sincerely

William Heath

MySociety three principles to make Parliament more transparent on the Internet:

1. Voters have the right to know in detail about the money that is spent to support MPs and run Parliament, and in similar detail how the decisions to spend that money are settled upon.

2. Bills being considered must be published online in a much better way than they are now, as the Free Our Bills campaign has been suggesting for some time.

3. The Internet is not a threat to a renewal in our democracy, it is one of its best hopes. Parliament should appoint a senior officer with direct working experience of the power of the Internet who reports directly to the Speaker, and who will help Parliament adapt to a new era of transparency and effectiveness.

Ends