David Lammy - Fined £5000 for £35,000 nuisance calls

.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35772202
.
Labour MP David Lammy has been fined £5,000 for instigating 35,629 nuisance calls urging people to back his failed bid to be London Mayor.

The calls played a recorded message that urged people to back his campaign to be Labour's candidate.

Information Commissioner Christopher Graham said the same rules apply to canvassing for votes as apply "to offering a discount on double glazing".

People getting Mr Lammy's calls had not given permission to receive such calls.

This meant, according to the Information Commissioner's Office investigation, Mr Lammy had broken the rules set out in the Privacy and Electronic Communication Regulations.

Mr Graham said: "If you want to call someone in this way, you must follow these rules. Mr Lammy did not, and that is why he has been fined.

"It's not good enough to assume the people you're contacting probably won't mind. The law requires you to have permission before making calls with recorded messages. And if the law isn't followed, the regulator will act."

The calls were made in August 2015 using contact details of party members provided by the Labour Party. Mr Lammy did not make the additional checks necessary to ensure he was able to contact the people with recorded messages, the watchdog said.

Mr Graham said: "Mr Lammy's team should have known there were special controls in place around calls with recorded massages. Not only have we published detailed guidance on political campaigning on our website, but we have contacted political parties directly to remind them of the rules."

Mr Lammy came fourth in the contest last year to become Labour's candidate in the forthcoming London mayoral elections with 9.4% of first preferences.