This entry was posted on
Wednesday, October 24th, 2007 at
11:14 am and is filed
under It’s War! It’s Legal! It’s Lovely!.
Now EDM 2057 is back online, perhaps it might be an idea to keeping a running tally of those MPs who actually give a damn, as this is a unique issue where both supporters and opponents of the war in Iraq are forced to face up to a moral and practical imperative.
By late yesterday, only 35 MPs had signed it.
Today, Charles Kennedy adds his name to the list, bringing us to a grand total of 36 MPs who give a damn about human beings that our government has knowingly abandoned to the mercy of roaming death squads.
These people live daily with the risk of assassination. When they cannot be found, members of their family are targeted (and you can read more about this kind of thing at weoweittothem.com).
And yet, despite the high stakes and the really quite urgent urgency, it’s been over a week since Anne Milton, my (Tory) MP expressed her concern and promised to raise the issue with other MPs, and:
a) There are still only 3 Conservative MPs listed as signatories.
b) She hasn’t yet signed it herself.
Very few MPs should have good reason to refuse signing this EDM. But it’s up to us to put them on the spot about it so they can’t later claim that they were unaware of it or (as many former supporters of the war are fond of doing) pretend that they were unaware of certain pertinent facts at the time.
Write to your MP about this today. Make sure that they’re aware of Early Day Motion 2057.
By Paul.Ferrari October 24, 2007 - 12:03 pm
Well I pulled my finger out and wrote to my MP about this finally.
By Manic October 24, 2007 - 12:36 pm
Good man.
By Turbulent Cleric October 24, 2007 - 4:41 pm
i will email my MP but sadly he refuses top sign DEMs which he describes as "political graffiti."
By Ben October 24, 2007 - 6:50 pm
Patricia Hewitt feels the same way, it seems. She says, "I do not feel that EDMs are an effective way of raising a particular issue or cause." She has written to Liam Byrne on my behalf, mind.
By Manic October 24, 2007 - 9:05 pm
Ben & TC: Perhaps these MPs have a better idea and the follow-through to make it happen.