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Mr Gareth Epps, Liberal Democrat Candidate for Reading East responds to my letter concerning the Digital Economy Act

David,

Thanks for getting in touch with me on a subject that has clearly touched a very raw nerve indeed.

We have the most up-to-date and liberal policy on freedom, creativity and the internet of any of the parties (at our Spring conference last month, an emergency motion was passed setting out our Party’s views in the context of this Bill). That led to our vocal opposition to the web-blocking provisions of the Bill and our MPs voting against the whole Bill at 3rd Reading. By contrast, the Conservative candidate failed as our MP to turn up for the vote; his party’s position was to let the Bill go through.

Subsequently, Nick Clegg has confirmed that he would seek to have the Act repealed altogether. The use of affirmative resolution procedure would enable us to cast our votes to try and block the Regulations to use disconnection/interference. Our MPs said during the passage of the Bill that they will veto any implementation of disconnection powers until there has been full discussion and debate.

Our party’s position is not 100% against everything in the Bill, but we have more concerns than the other parties, and our MPs were the only ones whipped against the Bill at 3rd Reading. I was one of 25 Liberal Democrat candidates who signed an open letter which succeeded in strengthening the Party’s resolve to oppose this legislation. (see http://www.libdemvoice.org/twentyfive-lib-dem-ppcs-sign-letter-asking-lib-dem-parliamentarians-to-think-again-on-digital-economy-bill-18185.html)

The other points I would make are:
Web-blocking: the LibDems are opposing web blocking unlike Labour. Our stand would lift the threat of blocking from all manner of websites from community noticeboards to YouTube, and the fact that this was ever proposed shows how out of touch and illiberal Labour are. [The minister responsible, Stephen Timms has been ridiculed for getting the concept of an IP address (Internet Protocol) muddled with IP (Intellectual Property) in a standard letter to objectors. As someone who is far from an expert on these matters, even I understand the difference!].

Disconnection: there are widespread fears that the disconnection measures proposed are arbitrary and disproportionate. Many internet connections, from a family PC to a public wifi service, are shared so the Government will be imposing collective punishment for individual sins. While our position is not against all disconnection ever, we are firmly against disconnection as proposed by the Bill. We have a presumption against disconnection.
Our Peers moved the power to disconnect from the whim of the Secretary of State to the rigour of the courts.
LibDem MPs have set out specific conditions which would have to apply before any disconnection could be implemented, including a minimum of a year’s notice in writing (itself a challenge to write to an online user!) AND the need to prove guilt not simply accuse. This may not be as far as some opponents of disconnection would like to go, but it is the most comprehensive set of protections for internet users proposed by any of the main parties.

The reality has been that the arcane parliamentary procedure plus Labour’s majority meant there was a limit to what the Lib Dems could have achieved in the last Parliament, especially with the Tories supporting the Bill (the two old parties in action!). I genuinely believe that we are not the villains in tht we did not propose this legislation!

The important thing is to get as many Lib Dem MPs as possible in the next Parliament because they are web-users’ best safeguard against Labour introducing arbitrary disconnection powers. We are also the only party committed to reforming the voting system and the parliamentary process so that Labour’s railroading of this Bill can never happen again. In Reading East, the bookies’ odds and the advice of increasing numbers of commentators is that we can beat the Conservatives here. On this issue, it is clear that anyone wishing to see this ill thought-out and dangerous legislation halted in Reading East should vote Liberal Democrat.

I hope this helps. Happy to answer any further questions on this or any other issues.

Yours sincerely

Gareth Epps
Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary candidate for Reading EastPolitics, General Election, LibDems, digital economy bill,