PRESS RELEASE

Source:
http://www.backingblair.co.uk/

Online version of this release:
http://www.backingblair.co.uk/2005/02/mp-titles-in-domain-names.html

Date:
10 Feb 2005


UPDATE (11 Feb 2005): We've been advised by the Electoral Commission that only Parliament can address/enforce this. In other words, only Parliament can address a matter that only arises when Parliament dissolves.


UPDATE (23 Feb 2005): A little bird tells us that:

Once parliament is dissolved in advance of a general election, Members of Parliament become "ex-Members" and under the rules of the House of Commons are no longer entitled to use the support and facilities of the House. Upon dissolution, the Clerk of the House provides guidance to ex-Members on the use of facilities, including any web pages established while individuals were sitting Members of Parliament. Specifically, this guidance is likely to include advice about the use of disclaimers on websites to explain the position of former Members during an election period.

So it appears as if a simple on-site disclaimer is all that's going to be required for candidates with 'mp' in the page code/copy or in the domain name.


-

Close to 100 incumbent candidates may be in breach of Electoral Commission guidelines once Parliament is dissolved for the election and they lose the right to call themselves MPs.

Despite giving a clear warning to MPs prior to the 2001 General Election that they not include the title 'mp' in their domain names, the Electoral Commission failed to address the matter in their 2003 report on online campaigning.

Electoral Commission - April 2003 - Online election campaigns - Report and recommendations:
http://www.electoralcommission.gov.uk/media-centre/newsreleasereviews.cfm/news/182
http://www.electoralcommission.gov.uk/templates/search/document.cfm/7286

Currently, 92 serving MPs have websites with 'mp' in the domain name, including:

- Michael Howard, leader of the Conservatives (michaelhowardmp.com)
- Charles Clarke, Secretary of State for Home Affairs (norwich-labour-mps.org.uk)
- Derek Wyatt, former Director of The Computer Channel at BSkyB and Chairman/Founder of the All Party Internet Group (derekwyattmp.co.uk)
- Andrew Miller, President or Computing for Labour (andrew-miller-mp.co.uk)
- Andrew MacKay, Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party (andrewmackaymp.com)
- Stephen Timms, former Minister of State for Energy, e-Commerce and Postal Services (stephentimmsmp.org.uk)
- Ian Taylor, former Minister for Science and Technology (iantaylormp.com)
- Dr. Brian Iddon, member of the Science and Technology Select Committee (brianiddonmp.org.uk)
- Des Turner, member of the Science and Technology Select Committee (desturnermp.co.uk)
- Nick Hawkins, former member of the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee (nickhawkinsmp.org)

And, finally, Anne Widdecombe (annwiddecombemp.com) who was advised to shut down her main website during the last election because of this same issue.

The non-partisan online action group Backing Blair has called for the Electoral Commission to clarify their position on the use of the title 'mp' in domain names following the dissolution of Parliament and requests an appropriate level of enforcement should any use of this title during the election be in breach of the guidelines.

A list of offending domains names appears below:

http://www.adrianbaileymp.org.uk
http://www.alancampbellmp.co.uk
http://www.alansimpsonmp.co.uk
http://www.andrewmackaymp.com
http://www.andrew-miller-mp.co.uk
http://www.andrew-mitchell-mp.co.uk
http://www.andrewsmithmp.org.uk
http://www.andylovemp.com
http://www.andyreedmp.org.uk
http://www.angelaeaglemp.co.uk
http://www.angelasmithmp.org
http://www.annemcguiremp.org.uk
http://www.annettebrookemp.org
http://www.annkeenmp.org.uk
http://www.annmckechinmp.net
http://www.annwiddecombemp.com
http://www.bobblizzardmp.co.uk
http://www.briandonohoemp.co.uk
http://www.brianiddonmp.org.uk
http://www.bridgetprenticemp.org.uk
http://www.chrisbryantmp.co.uk
http://www.chrismolemp.org.uk
http://www.daritaylormp.co.uk
http://www.davidcameronmp.com
http://www.davidruffleymp.com
http://www.davidstewartmp.co.uk
http://www.derekwyattmp.co.uk
http://www.desmondswaynemp.com
http://www.desturnermp.co.uk
http://www.gavinstrangmp.co.uk
http://www.georgefoulkesmp.co.uk
http://www.giselastuartmp.co.uk
http://www.gordonprenticemp.com
http://www.grahambradymp.co.uk
http://www.iantaylormp.com
http://www.islandmp.org (Andrew Turner)
http://www.ivorcaplinmp.com
http://www.jacquilaitmp.com
http://www.jacquismithmp.labour.co.uk
http://www.james-sheridan-mp.org.uk
http://www.jimfitzpatrickmp.co.uk
http://www.jimmurphymp.com
http://www.johnbarrettmp.com
http://www.johnbattle-mp.org.uk
http://www.johnhealeymp.co.uk
http://www.johnhuttonmp.co.uk
http://www.johnlyons-mp.com
http://www.johnmannmp.co.uk
http://www.johnmaplesmp.com
http://www.johnpughmp.com
http://www.johnrandallmp.com
http://www.johnrobertsonmp.co.uk
http://www.kalimountfordmp.org.uk
http://www.kerrypollardmp.co.uk
http://www.kevanjonesmp.org.uk
http://www.lauramoffattmp.co.uk
http://www.mariaeaglemp.com
http://www.markfieldmp.com
http://www.marksimmondsmp.org
http://www.marktamimp.org.uk
http://www.mconnartymp.org.uk
http://www.megmunnmp.org.uk
http://www.michael.fabricant.mp.co.uk
http://www.michaelhowardmp.com
http://www.michaeljackmp.org.uk
http://www.michael-wills-mp.co.uk
http://www.moraymp.org
http://www.nickharveymp.com
http://www.nickhawkinsmp.org
http://www.nigelmp.com (Nigel Evans)
http://www.norwich-labour-mps.org.uk (Ian Gibson and Charles Clarke)
http://www.oliverhealdmp.com
http://www.paulflynnmp.co.uk
http://www.paulmarsdenmp.com
http://www.prestonmp.co.uk (Mark Hendrick)
http://www.richardspringmp.com
http://www.robertsymsmp.com
http://www.robertwaltermp.com
http://www.roybeggsmp.com
http://www.shona-mp.com (Shona McIsaac)
http://www.simonburnsmp.com
http://www.stephenhesfordmp.labour.co.uk
http://www.stephenobrienmp.co.uk
http://www.stephentimmsmp.org.uk
http://www.stuartbellmp.org
http://www.tonycunninghammp.org.uk
http://www.tonylloydmp.co.uk
http://www.tonymcwaltermp.org.uk
http://www.vernon-coaker-mp.co.uk
http://www.wingriffithsmp.co.uk

ENDS