Another setback for Digital Economy Bill as MP resigns

The Digital Economy Bill has hit yet another snag this week as it was announced Labour MP Siôn Simon, the MP in charge of leading the Bill through parliament, is to step down.

The Digital Economy Bill, spawned from the Digital Britain report hasn’t had an easy ride of it throughout its controversial life span. Stephen Carter, the man responsible for creating the Digital Britain report, also stepped down unexpectedly, leaving the project without a leader.

The Bill is being used to push some meaty agendas through parliament, including the proposal to serve the UK with a minimum broadband speed of at least 2Mb, as well as tactics for combating online piracy.

Shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt has deemed Simon’s resignation as a “complete farce”, commenting to the Guardian newspaper: “First Stephen Carter, now Siôn Simon – this resignation is another chapter in the sorry story of Labour’s disastrous approach to Britain’s digital future. It is a complete farce that a minister responsible should resign his post so close to the digital economy bill arriving in the House of Commons.”

Explaining his decision to step down from his role as junior minister for creative ministries in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport Siôn Simon posted the following announcement on his website: “After nine years in Parliament (and a Minister in two departments), it has become clear to me that the answers to Birmingham’s problems do not lie in Westminster and Whitehall. We need to take back control of our own city.”

Simon is expected to step down from his role this month.