LABOUR activists are exploiting a loophole in information laws to “cold call” people who have specifically asked not to receive unsolicited telephone calls.
Call centre workers are ringing thousands of potential voters who have registered with the Telephone Preference Service to prevent unwanted calls on their private phone numbers.
Ringing numbers on the opt-out list with unrequested offers or marketing information is a breach of industry regulations and carries a £5,000 fine.
The Direct Marketing Association claims that registering with the service “helps to make sure your telephone number is no longer available to organisations who may phone you with offers and information you do not wish to receive”. But the Labour Party regularly rings those on the register and asks how they intend to vote. It claims that doing so does not breach the legislation, because callers are not attempting to promote the party.
Cold calling by all three main political parties is set to soar in the build up to the general election. The Tories and Liberal Democrats both insist, however, that they do not contact people on the Telephone Preference Service, even to ask about their voting intentions.
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The Lib Dems have written to the Information Commissioner asking for clarification.
Matthew Taylor, chairman of the party, said it had been advised that ringing people on the register was illegal.
The Information Commission admitted that the issue was a grey area and “wasn’t that straightforward”.
More than seven million people are registered with the Telephone Preference Service.