Just fancy that!
Monday, July 12, 2010 
Click on the image above and it will take you to a post on the Government's new Your Freedom website. Someone has quite rightly pointed out that:
There is a major flaw on how this site is being operated.
For example, if you search for a specific idea, lets say 'smoking', you currently come up with 82 different headings about smoking, which contain 1000's of comments and votes between them.
But the moderators have blocked the majority of the postings to these threads, referring people to one particular thread. "To try and keep the subject in one place and under one thread."
By doing this the website now only counts the votes and comments on that one particular thread (say 107 comments and 200 votes), when in actual fact there are 1000's more comments and votes on the same subject, within the blocked threads!
It would be nice to think that this could be rectified but don't hold your breath. Click HERE if you want to comment.
Reader Comments (13)
To be perfectly honest Simon, it appears you can only rely on the efforts of Forest and other pro-choice sites to get our message accross. At least there will be no corruption with regard to overall feelings on the subject of the smoking ban.
Its a pity you can't run your own Freedom Website.
Interestingly, the "Smoking" tag has now been restored on the main page. I asked for an explanation for its disappearance a couple of times and got no reply - but maybe somebody is listening after all.
I started a thread on the "Your Freedom" site, just one hour after it was first launched, titled "Amend the Smoking Ban"
My thread received 20 something posts very, very quickly and was doing extremely well. I then went to look at it a couple of days later and found it missing.
I eventually found it again by logging onto my screen name on there, where they had now decided to junk it, for the same excuse of what is mentioned here, and giving the same instructions, i.e. put your comments on another post.
I was needless to say, very, very angry and wrote, telling them that my post was there first and I demanded it reinstated. Guess what? Yes you got it, I didn't receieve any answer at all.
On Friday I decided to re-write my piece again under a different title and trying as much to re-word it. Within a few seconds I received one post on there, (a snide comment by an anti) and a minute after that, this also went on the missing list with the same explanation as before, i.e it was too similar to others already on there, which I had obviously made sure it wasn't.
I am dissapointed with this to say the least.
The site can't read my username any more and doesn't seem able to send me a new password either.
You can now FORGET THE WHOLE BOODY THING!
I just logged onto the site again and NIck Clegg is chatting on about what a marvellous idea it is and how they are looking at everything.
But, he goes onto say, there are exceptions, such as the reintruduction of the death penalty and the smoking ban.
So much for Clegg and the voice of FREEDOM!
Please excuse the typos above, I was just so bloody angry.
What the hell's going on here? The most debated and commented subject on the site and Cleggy reckons its taboo?
There's more than just a carve up between the DoH and ASH involved here. What stinking piece of corruption don't they want us to know? What deals were done over this ban.? It stinks to high Heaven!
Betrayed again by politicians...when will we learn...they don't listen to voters unless its on their own terms. Get it now!?
Go to
http://www.nickclegg.org.uk/home.aspx
where there is an email comment form. Ask Mr Clegg why he allowed proposals to amend the smoking ban if he had no intention of even considering them.
@frank - I decided some time ago that Big Pharma has done a deal with HMG along the lines of HMG denormalising smoking and pushing people onto NRT in return for cheap eg cancer drugs. I've no evidence, just complete cynicism given that the smoking issue is stonewalled to an extent that no other issue ever is.
Agree 100%, Joyce, us cynics are a large club. The body language of politicians becomes animated and uncomfortable whenever the subject is broached attempting to dismiss it, instantly. Never a discussion.
Another good thread on the freedom website:
http://yourfreedom.hmg.gov.uk/repealing-unnecessary-laws/this-consultation-is-a-sham-give-us-free-speech
You could complain here:
http://yourfreedom.hmg.gov.uk/contact-info
I have...