Reading Liberal Democrats

Reading MP Martin Salter has come under fire for backing a controversial Bill in the House of Commons designed to exempt Members of Parliament from Freedom of Information legislation.

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary spokesperson Gareth Epps – who backs the action led by Lib Dem MPs to oppose the Bill on Friday – has highlighted Salter’s role in speaking and voting for the Bill and in passing correspondence from a constituent – allegedly released under the Freedom of Information Act by Reading Borough Council – to the Bill’s Tory promoter David Maclean MP. The correspondence – with the constituent’s name blacked out – was produced by Maclean during the debate.

Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords have already pledged to kill the Bill off using all means possible.

Commenting, Gareth Epps said:

“This squalid Bill is designed to reduce the amount to which Members of Parliament are open to public scrutiny. It will damage freedom of information and gives politicians a bad name.

It is sadly no surprise to see Martin Salter enthusiastically in support of it for those precise reasons.

I cannot see myself siding with John Redwood on many occasions. However, on this issue Redwood is right and Salter is wrong. The opposition in the Commons – led by my Liberal Democrat colleagues – will now be taken to the House of Lords.”