WeX Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 So, in your opinion, the fact that it was done by Labour means if a tory does it it should not be reported and is a non-story. If this is a non-story, then it must have been a non-story when labour did it, hence your bringing up the fact that labour did it is bringing up a non-story. Why would you bring it up if it was a non-story? Labour lost OUR data. Personal details about tens if not hundreds of thousands of people and children, not once but multiple times over the years. This is a one tory throwing away departmental documents that have been deemed none sensitive. The two are not the same and your insistence they are and your well documented allegiance to anything Labour goes to show this is a none story that only the labour faithful will latch onto and try to run with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I1L2T3 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 If he has put personal details of constituents in a bin in a public park that's a breach of the data protection act. It's not like he accidentally lost this data. He deliberately binned it day after day in a public park. If a civil servant did that they would most likely be sacked. I'm interested though - what training do MPs get in this area. I know civil servants have this drilled into them. What if he hasn't been trained? Curious situation if not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 2 Serious questions 1. What was so secret about these papers. 2. Shouldn't all government documents (short of genuine national security) be available for anyone to see whenever they like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llamatron Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 On the assumption that you haven't read the documents, how would you know they are non-sensitive What relevance does the previous government's antics have? Dumping personal correspondence in a public rubbish bin is stupid even by his standards yeah I think the mirror caught him doing it and being as the documents were not shown I think we can be sure they were not sensitive. Or are we assuming the mirror would not go in a bin for a good story:suspect: Although he should be recycling them anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ampersand Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 2 Serious questions 1. What was so secret about these papers. 2. Shouldn't all government documents (short of genuine national security) be available for anyone to see whenever they like? I haven't seen the papers so can't answer your first question Some Government papers are available under the Freedom of Information Act and I've no doubt most could safely be published if Governments and Civil Servants weren't so obsessed with secrecy, but if you wrote to your MP on a private matter, or any matter for that matter, firstly it isn't a Government document, and secondly you would hope your MP treated it properly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altus Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 2 Serious questions 1. What was so secret about these papers. 2. Shouldn't all government documents (short of genuine national security) be available for anyone to see whenever they like? While I'm generally in favour of freedom of information, it has to have limits. Suppose a refuge for women with abusive partners has been communicating with their local MP. Should their address be available for anyone to see whenever they like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy Jnr Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 All infromation is useful to someone, god knows we're advised to shred our own paperwork to prevent identity theft. The documents are or could have been of some value to someone it really doesn't make any difference whether its deliberate or absent mindedly leaving them in a taxi they should be a bit more savvy about them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I1L2T3 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 2 Serious questions 1. What was so secret about these papers. 2. Shouldn't all government documents (short of genuine national security) be available for anyone to see whenever they like? To be honest I think the focus on government papers isn't the key issue. It's the way he handled personal details of constituents that is. And it opens up a wider issue - who do other MPs treat correspondence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 You are right, there are boundaries required. So yes, your refuge should stay safe and I'm sure that such an organisation takes care with it's letterhead printing. From what I have read Letwin hasn't disposed of anything that is even remotely secret, or of any interest to anyone beyond a naughty journalist who had to rummage in bins no less than 5 times to make sure before revealing the ghastly truth. More generally, as a nation we are obsessed with secrecy to no real end. This secrecy is what allows some politicians and officials to pursue self interest instead of citizen interest. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I1L2T3 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 All infromation is useful to someone, god knows we're advised to shred our own paperwork to prevent identity theft. The documents are or could have been of some value to someone it really doesn't make any difference whether its deliberate or absent mindedly leaving them in a taxi they should be a bit more savvy about them. Indeed. I used my dad's MP recently to try and sort out a dispute with a utility company. His MP (a Tory I might add) did a great job but I would be very upset if a letter stating my dad was a vulnerable pensioner living alone, his address and also the fact he was owed several thousand quid just got chucked in the bin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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