Labour have just announced that they will scrap the gagging law with this image online:
For the moment this is all we know, but we’ll post up more details as soon as we have them.
UPDATE: The announcement is currently being sent out by email from Ed Miliband to members, supporters and people who contacted Ed Miliband/the party about the issue. That means the party’s position on the Gagging Law was revealed as an online first.
In it, he says:
“I have been clear from the start that I oppose this gag on charities and campaigners, which was introduced with little consultation. If Labour wins the next election, we will remove it from the statute book.”
His specific promises are:
“If we win the election next year, the Labour government I lead will:
- Repeal the changes to non-party campaigning rules, which create such an illiberal gag on charities and campaigners (i.e. the Section 2 you mentioned in your email to me)
- We will hold a full consultation with charities and campaigners to determine what reform we need in its place
- We will ensure that any reform we bring in will both ensure transparency in elections and protect freedom of speech”
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