I don’t know, is the answer to that. Except that we should pester them till they do. I wrote the following letter to my MP tonight:
“Dear Alan Johnson,
You have replied to my email on the gagging law, and I thank you for that and for your commitment to continue pressure on the government. However, I have written to you on a couple of other issues to which I have received no reply.
One was on the detention of Baraa Shiban at Gatwick Airport because of his activity against US drone attacks in his country, Yemen. The other was to ask you to support a ban against EDL demonstrations in Hull in the light of a physical attack by the EDL on a lone protester in Hull (which put the protester in hospital).
I have had no reply to either of these emails. Both issues are important. I note that the one I had a reply to was written to thank you for voting against the gagging bill. My other emails, to which I have received no reply, were (a) a criticism of a government policy which might remain government policy if Labour wins the next election; and (b) a request for something which – without a great deal of effort and argument – is not likely to be favoured by any future Labour government (judging from the performance of past Labour governments). I hope this has not prevented you from replying on these two last issues.
I am keeping my friends on my website and on Facebook and Twitter up to date on this because many of them feel it is important to engage with their local MPs and for their local MPs to engage with them.
I look forward to your reply …”
I will, as I told the honourable gentleman, keep you posted.
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