‘Hundred people an hour’ joining Pirate Party UK

August 14, 2009 by Infowars Ireland

The Pirate Party UK is hoping to emulate the success of its Swedish counterpart, which recently won a seat in the European parliament

www.telegraph.co.uk

The Pirate Party, a political group which hopes to legalise internet filesharing, has attracted a huge number of new members since announcing its plans to contest seats at the next election.

Andrew Peter Robinson, the leader of the Pirate Party, said they had been flooded by enquiries from people who wanted to join the group. At its peak, he said, around 100 people an hour were signing up to become party members.

“It has exceeded all expectations,” he said. “Put it this way – donations have been coming in so fast that PayPal were concerned we were a fraudulent site.”

The Pirate Party was recognised as an official political party in the UK on July 30. The group has a presence in 37 countries, including Sweden and Germany, although all parties operate independently. However, they have some common aims, including campaigning for reforms to intellectual property and copyright laws, particularly in the digital space.

The UK Pirate Party wants to legalise non-commercial file sharing and reduce what it calls the “excessive length” of copyright protection while still ensuring artists are financially rewarded. It also calls for an overhaul of the patents system so that innovation is not stifled and life-saving drugs are not “so expensive that patients die”.

“We’re not going to win any seats but we can get these issues discussed,” said Robinson. Read full article…