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Protection Of Whistleblowers Making Public Interest Disclosures

EDM number 1002 in 2016-17, proposed by Helen Goodman on 01/03/2017.
Categorised under the topics of Freedom of information, Press and Criminal law.

That this House is gravely concerned by the provisional recommendations in the Law Commission's review of the Official Secrets Act and other legislation; notes the ability of whistleblowers to make disclosures in the public interest is vital for democracy, press freedom and the well-being of the public; is shocked by the proposal to extend the maximum criminal sentence for unlawful disclosures from two years to 14 years, and to make unlawful the mere acquisition and possession of confidential material; invites the Law Commission fully to consult with relevant bodies, and especially to consult the National Union of Journalists over a matter which will inevitably impact on legitimate media investigations and public interest journalism; welcomes the fact that the Government has put on record that it does not want to curtail freedom of speech or the legal rights of whistleblowers to make protected disclosures and has brought forward amendments to the Digital Economy Bill in this respect; and calls on the Government to rule out any such interference with essential liberties and freedoms including draconian jail sentences for journalists.

This motion has been signed by a total of 30 MPs.

MPDateConstituencyPartyType
Helen Goodman01/03/2017Bishop AucklandLabourProposed
Peter Bottomley01/03/2017Worthing WestConservativeSeconded
Joanna Cherry01/03/2017Edinburgh South WestScottish National PartySeconded
Liz Saville Roberts01/03/2017Dwyfor MeirionnyddPlaid CymruSeconded
Caroline Lucas01/03/2017Brighton, PavilionGreenSeconded
Mark Durkan01/03/2017FoyleSocial Democratic and Labour PartySeconded
Chris Stephens02/03/2017Glasgow South WestScottish National PartySigned
George Kerevan02/03/2017East LothianScottish National PartySigned
Kelvin Hopkins02/03/2017Luton NorthLabourSigned
Jim Cunningham02/03/2017Coventry SouthLabourSigned
Stewart McDonald02/03/2017Glasgow SouthScottish National PartySigned
Anne McLaughlin06/03/2017Glasgow North EastScottish National PartySigned
Margaret Ritchie06/03/2017South DownSocial Democratic and Labour PartySigned
Natalie McGarry06/03/2017Glasgow EastScottish National PartySigned
Jim Shannon06/03/2017StrangfordDUPSigned
John Nicolson06/03/2017East DunbartonshireScottish National PartySigned
Alan Meale06/03/2017MansfieldLabourSigned
Hannah Bardell06/03/2017LivingstonScottish National PartySigned
Drew Hendry06/03/2017Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and StrathspeyScottish National PartySigned
Corri Wilson06/03/2017Ayr, Carrick and CumnockScottish National PartySigned
Alan Brown06/03/2017Kilmarnock and LoudounScottish National PartySigned
Alex Salmond06/03/2017Signed
Angus MacNeil06/03/2017Na h-Eileanan an IarScottish National PartySigned
Chris Law06/03/2017Dundee WestScottish National PartySigned
Owen Thompson13/03/2017MidlothianScottish National PartySigned
Roger Godsiff13/03/2017Birmingham, Hall GreenLabourSigned
David Crausby13/03/2017Bolton North EastLabourSigned
Helen Hayes15/03/2017Dulwich and West NorwoodLabourSigned
Gavin Newlands29/03/2017Paisley and Renfrewshire NorthScottish National PartySigned
Rachael Maskell30/03/2017York CentralLabour/Co-operativeSigned

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