Sunday 7 February 2010
   
GOLDSMITH TOLD TWO DIFFERENT TALES ON IRAQ, SAYS LEGAL EXPERT
 
ROBERTSON SEIZES ON LATEST CHILCOT REVELATIONS
 
SIGNS SHOW PRESSURE IS GETTING TO LABOUR – GOLDSMITH & BLAIR SHOULD BE RECALLED

SNP Westminster Leader and Defence Spokesperson Angus Robertson MP has seized on a report where Philippe Sands, a professor of international law at University College London and director of the Centre for International Courts and Tribunals, said urgent questions needed to be asked about differences between Lord Goldsmith's testimonies to the 2004 Butler review and the current Chilcot inquiry.
 
Coming on the day Alastair Campbell had to compose himself after being asked the questioned on the Chilcot Inquiry on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Mr Robertson said:
 
“These revelations raise even more serious questions about the reasons the Labour government took us to war. Both Lord Goldsmith and Tony Blair should be recalled to the inquiry to face those further questions.
 
“As today’s Andrew Marr showed the pressure is getting to the main Labour players. With Chilcot revealing more deception by the day, serious and more penetrating questions must be asked of Tony Blair and Lord Goldsmith.
  
“The people of Scotland were opposed to the invasion of Iraq and opposed the US/UK occupation, yet we were dragged into an illegal war on a false premise.
 
“Hundreds of brave troops and countless civilians have paid the ultimate price for Labour’s untruths. The public deserve to know the real story about a war fought in their name."
 
ENDS
 
Notes:
 
The revelations surrounding Lord Goldsmith’s contradictory evidence can be read here:
 
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/feb/07/attorney-general-iraq-opinion

Tuesday 9 February 2010
 
QUESTIONS AS WATCHDOG TAKES 5 YEARS TO ACT

The SNP has questioned why the Information Commissioner had taken 5 years to act against the Labour party for making automated and unsolicited promotional phone calls to voters.
 
The UK Information Commissioner today issued an enforcement notice on the Labour party for calls featuring Coronation Street actress Liz Dawn, which were sent to nearly half a million homes in breach of the law.
 
The London Evening Standard first reported that the use of automated calls by Labour was under investigation in 2005. Labour were investigated again in 2007 and in 2009.
 
The Commissioner’s notice states that Labour promised in 2007 not to make the calls again, only to do so in the 2009 election.
 
All other political parties found to have made such calls (the Conservatives and SNP in 2005 and Lib Dems in 2008), have been issued immediately with enforcement notices.
 
Dundee West MSP Joe Fitzpatrick who lodged the complaint in 2009 said:
 
“I welcome this belated action to protect voters in their homes but there are real questions to be answered over how the Commissioner has applied the rules.
 
“The Information Commissioner must explain why it has taken him five years to act over dodgy phone calls from Labour but he has not applied the same restraint to other political parties.
 
“It is not acceptable for him to have ignored the allegations against Labour in 2005 and to have relied on a promise of good behaviour in 2007.  It is clear promises of good behaviour from Labour mean nothing.
 
“Had the Commissioner applied the same enforcement notices that were applied to other parties for similar acts the 2009 phone calls would never have happened.
 
“Labour have been the subject of repeated complaints over their inappropriate use of telephone calls during election campaigns but it seems where other parties have faced the law Labour have been allowed to get away with it.
 
“The SNP sought guarantees from the Information Commission in 2005 that all parties would be treated as the SNP were treated however it seems while the SNP, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats were served enforcement notices immediately Labour has been allowed an ill fated second chance.
 
“The Information Commissioner must also explain why these calls were not stopped immediately rather than allowing half a million people to be bothered by a desperate Labour party.”
 
 
1. http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-17635339-labour-accused-of-phone-call-tricks.do

2. Information Commissioner's statement
 
For immediate release
9 February 2010
Labour Party found in breach of privacy rules
 
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has served an enforcement notice on the Labour Party after it breached the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). The enforcement action, by the UK privacy watchdog, follows an investigation which revealed that the party had made unsolicited automated marketing calls without consent to almost half a million individuals.
 
In July 2007 the ICO received a complaint from a member of the public that he had received an automated marketing telephone call from the Labour Party despite never consenting to receive such calls. The call allegedly consisted of a recorded message from the actress Liz Dawn. After reviewing the transcript, the ICO advised the Labour party that it would constitute direct marketing; Labour subsequently agreed to stop making any calls using the Liz Dawn script or anything similar.
 
However, in June 2009 the ICO received further complaints. The Scottish
National Party and a member of the public reported that unsolicited automated calls, consisting of a recorded message from Liz Dawn, had been made encouraging recipients to vote in the local and European elections.
The Labour Party confirmed that the calls were made to approximately
495,000 recipients, in what were believed to be Labour supporting areas, and that the majority of numbers were obtained using commercially purchased lists.
 
David Smith, Deputy Commissioner at the ICO, said: “The ICO has consistently made clear that the promotion of a political party counts as marketing. We have previously issued detailed guidance to all major political parties on this subject. The Labour Party has breached privacy rules by making automated marketing calls to individuals who have not consented to receiving such calls. The fact that the calls were targeted at what were believed to be Labour supporting areas confirmed our view that they were designed to promote the Labour Party’s electoral cause by encouraging Labour supporters to vote. Automated calls can cause annoyance and disruption which is why it is so important for organisations making such calls to gain the consent of individuals.”
 
The enforcement notice requires Labour to ensure no further automated direct marketing calls are made without consent. Failure to comply with the enforcement notice is a criminal offence and could lead to prosecution. The Labour Party have a right to appeal within 28 days.
 
In 2005 the ICO issued updated guidance to political parties about their obligations under the Data Protection Act and the Privacy and Electronic
Communications Regulations. However, in 2005 the ICO served enforcement notices against the Conservative Party and the Scottish National Party, and in 2008 the ICO served an enforcement notice against the Liberal
Democrats. The parties had breached the Privacy and Electronic
Communications Regulations by making unsolicited automated marketing phone calls to members of the public who had not given their consent to receive them.
 
A full copy of the enforcement notice can be downloaded at
http://www.ico.gov.uk/what_we_cover/privacy_and_electronic_communications/enforcement.aspx
 

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