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Dear supporter,
Earlier today, despite your amazing response to our urgent action yesterday, the Vulture Funds Bill was blocked at its third reading by a single Conservative MP.
It’s not clear which of three MPs – including deputy Chief Whip Andrew Robatham – shouted ‘object’ to block the bill. They were huddled together, but refused to admit which of them it was. But the effect is the same: there is now unlikely to be time to pass the bill before the general election.
The Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Bill is intended to help some of the poorest people in the world receive the full benefits of debt relief, and it was thought to have reached cross-party agreement after weeks of discussion. So we’re outraged that a Conservative MP has blocked it today. But we’re particularly concerned that the block may have come from the top of the party.
Please email David Cameron, leader of the Opposition, now and demand he clarifies which MP blocked the Bill, and whether they had his party's support.
After you sent hundreds of emails overnight, and local campaigners held a demonstration in Shipley this morning, Philip Davies MP confirmed that he had withdrawn his amendment, which we feared would sink the Bill.
But once the Private Member's Bills session began, it seemed that Christopher Chope, Conservative MP for Christchurch, was determined to make sure there was no time left for the Vultures Bill, speaking for over an hour on the Sunbeds Bill and speaking at length on the Local Authorities Bill. You can watch the video of what happened when the Vultures Bill was called here - skip forward to 4:58:02 and see if you can work out who shouts it. Today’s result is a setback – but we can’t stop now. Here are three things you can do: Earlier this week we received a message of support from former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa. He joins global figures like Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa and Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in backing a Vulture Funds law. We’re exhausted here in the office, but we’ve got to pick ourselves up and get ready for the election period, which is now more important than ever. Thank you so much for your support. Best wishes,
Jonathan |
