Democracy at work!

[undyingking]

You might remember this I posted a couple of days ago about an absurdly slanted questionnaire the Labour Party were running on anti-terrorism law proposals. I was pretty cheesed off and complained to them, but assumed that would be the last I'd hear of it.

Today I got this email from Charles Clarke:

"I would like to apologise for the questionnaire which was attached to the message that I sent out on Friday.  It was not intended to gauge public opinion but to start a political debate around the proposals currently being debated in Parliament.  Many people have raised with me perfectly valid concerns about how the questions were drafted.  I can only say that I share those concerns and give my assurance that questions of this type will not used in the future."

OK it's a a gesture, but a nice one, and helps to support my hope that Clarke isn't so hung up on being a macho authoritarian monster as Blunkett and Straw were...

Comments

[secretrebel.livejournal.com]

Yay! That's pretty cool actually. It's good the way he doesn't try to claim the questions were anything but sucky. Although the 'gauge public opinion' excuse is a bit weasly.

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

Mm, it wouldn't really be any better for the purpose of starting a debate! -- unless it was a debate about slanting in surveys...

[cardinalsin.livejournal.com]

I wish he'd written back saying "I was just testing! Glad to see you're all still awake, well done."

But seriously, 'tis a good response, as far as these things go.

[al-fruitbat.livejournal.com]

Hahaha! You're too trusting. You only got that email because about half-an-hour after spamming everyone, red lights flashed in the corridors of the Home Office and a big klaxon started blairing (sic) "Imminent Public Relations Disaster! Imminent Public Relations Disaster!"

What that new message actually means is that they're very sorry they sent the first one as an email which could be circulated and commented upon.

Next time, they'll make sure it's a phone conversation / poll, or if they're really tech-savvy, an online web-questionnaire that can be hosted and adjusted depending on who's looking at it.

They're not apologising for being wrong, they're apologising for being caught...

Sir Humphrey

[cardinalsin.livejournal.com]

Of course you're completely wrong about this. The Klaxxons will have gone off at Labour party HQ, not the Home Office.

;o)

[secretrebel.livejournal.com]

Potato. Potahto.

[al-fruitbat.livejournal.com]

exactly

[cardinalsin.livejournal.com]

Well, my point exactly.

[secretrebel.livejournal.com]

Oh, I got the joke. I wuz jus' joinin' in. ;)

[jezzidue.livejournal.com]

Certainly would seem to be drafted in a hurry .... missed out the "be" in the last line. However I approve of the response - otherwise slick and honest. In my experience of handling (writing and delivering) spin (albeit corporate) this is about as open so far as integrity is concerned as you could expect ... without giving people unnecessary ammo to claim that you are incompetent. ... and afterall we all have moments of incompetence.

[kauket.livejournal.com]

nice to see they are so slapdash about the public's opinion to their new terror laws...almost makes me think they don't give a s**t

I'm just a disillusioned cynic. Why not think a bit more before they write the email; if you are sending out a survey genuinely hoping to get get the public's opinion on the terror provisions, why not be damn sure you are happy with the questions you are asking.