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Saturday, 15 March 2008

Early Day Motion: Photography in Public Areas.

I've just sent a letter to Margaret Moran (through writetothem.com) to ask her to sign up to an Early Day Motion raised by another MP - Austin Mitchell.

Ever since I've had a camera of any description, I've enjoyed taking photos of the locality; in these days of suspicion and worry, the risks of having my camera confiscated by a concerned police officer or community support officer are higher than ever, and this House Of Commons early day motion - 1155 - raises the issue and asks for a code of conduct be created by the Home Office to allow what's really an innocent and completely legal hobby to go on uninhibited.

Here's the letter I wrote:

Dear Margaret Moran,

I am writing with a request for your support in a forthcoming Early Day
Motion - number 1155.

This has been raised by Mr Austin Mitchell, and requests that greater
consideration by and communication to the police be made of the
legality, and indeed, freedom of photography in public places.

I'm a keen amateur photographer, who enjoys recording in pictures
twenty-first century life in Luton and its locality, but I feel somewhat
intimidated in my pastime by the risk that PCSOs and police officers
may see fit to confiscate my camera or memory card without justifiable
cause.

Please give consideration to the motion (viewable on Parliament's Early
Day Motions website - http://edmi.parliament.uk) and, if you agree with
it, add your name to the list of supporters - which already includes
your colleague Kelvin Hopkins.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this letter.

Yours sincerely,

james Hart

Posted by james at March 15, 2008 3:25 PM

Comments

Posted by: Em at March 16, 2008 9:54 AM

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