The Digital Economy Bill has now passed into law. We have been highly critical about the so called ‘wash-up’ process which has enabled this Bill to pass with limited Parliamentary scrutiny before the General Election.
The ‘wash-up’ of the Digital Economy Bill was essentially a carve up between the Labour and Conservative parties that ignored Liberal Democrat arguments to consult more widely before introducing a measure to introduce web-blocking for copyright infringement. Liberal Democrats voted against the Bill at the third Reading and in the House of Commons and against the Labour and Conservative web-blocking amendment in both the Lords and Commons.
Liberal Democrats remain to be convinced about the necessity for technical measures, which could include disconnection from the internet. Liberal Democrats were successful in getting the Government to agree to a period of at least a year in which no technical measures can be considered and then to undertake a process of rigorous analysis and consultation into the need for any such measures. We also believe that the music, film and other content industries must work more urgently to develop easy and affordable ways for people to legally access their products.
The recent Liberal Democrat conference in March voted to establish a party working group to look into further detail about the issues raised by the Bill.
