MP record admirable

Published: 2 April 2010

GORDON McIntosh is completely wrong to suggest that Emily Thornberry has “backed almost every piece of anti-terror legislation”. A cursory glance at her voting record shows he’s way off the mark (My report fails MP, March 26).

Even the Lib Dem Voice website admits that Emily’s record on civil liberties has been admirable. A recent survey it published reminds us that she very publicly helped to defeat plans for detention without charge. It goes on to point out that Emily did not support the government on trial without jury, control orders, the Extradition Act 2003, government intervention in collection of evidence or the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill.

This Lib Dem website is critical of her support for the second reading of the Religious and Racial Hatred Bill, on the grounds that the bill introduced an offence of inciting religious hatred. I would suggest that Lib Dem opposition to this bill was misplaced and that Labour’s decision to put equality first in this case was absolutely correct.

Mr McIntosh is rather unsuccessfully trying to paint an unrepresentative and inaccurate picture of Emily’s views, in the name of party political point-scoring for his local Lib Dems.  

The truth is that we have an MP who, though I am sure proud of her party, is quite definitely not afraid to stand apart from it where they disagree and this is most notable in her support for civil liberties and human rights.

Lucy Rigby, N1