Hillingdons MP's Freedom of Information Vote Shame

5.00.54pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 28th May 2007

On a shameful day in parliamentary history John Randall voted to exempt MP's from the Freedom of Information, Nick Hurd voted to close the debate but sat on the fence instead of voting and John McDonnell didn't turn up at all.

Despite local campaigner Cllr Mike Cox appealing to all the borough MP's before the vote they decided to ignore the call and either vote it in or sat on their hands.

Cllr Mike Cox said

"This has been a shameful day for the House of Commons and for Hillingdon - MPs should set an example of open government, not apply it to everybody but ourselves.

"This bill and the way it has got through the Commons will clearly diminish respect for Parliament. But the battle will go on and hopefully the Lords will deliver us from this terrible mistake.

"I hope the public will make their views very clear to the MPs who supported the Bill and to the next Prime Minister that this is absolutely the wrong direction for open, accountable government."