[Fsfe-ie] UK gov intervenes to support software patents

[Ian Clarke]

On Sat, Sep 13, 2003 at 09:46:39PM +0100, Niall Douglas wrote:
> > What remains to be done?  Who still needs to be persuaded?  What must
> > they be persuaded of?  Who is coordinating this effort?
> 
> In Ireland I think we've done brilliantly given all factors 
> concerned. The UK has been much harder, most especially because 
> British MEP's are from this experience anyway completely devoid of 
> capacity for independent thought. They just vote and believe as party 
> central tells them to :(

As someone that has participated in British politics, one of my first
observations was that most people vote on the basis of party rather than
the individual - and I suspect that this is especially true for MEPs. 
This means that most British MEPs care much more about pleasing their
party leadership than pleasing those that voted for them. 

What can be done about this?  Not much unless the opinion of the 
leadership of the UK political parties can be changed.  This is probably 
a waste of energy given our short time-frame.

> This does not mean the battle is over. New letter someone? I can't 
> write it because no one ever understands me :)

I could write a letter if someone could outline what needs to be said
(presumably this would need to be more tailored than a general
anti-SWPat rant).  Note, however, that I am shortly moving from the US 
to the UK so my time is very limited.

Ian.

-- 
Ian Clarke                			            ian at locut.us
Coordinator, The Freenet Project	      http://freenetproject.org/
Weblog				     http://slashdot.org/~sanity/journal