Whilst many of the Parliamentary edits to Wikipedia found by the Bureau involve the removal of unflattering information (much of it to do with expenses), others are alterations of arguably less significance.
Among the thousands of parliamentary edits, some of the more light-hearted changes found by the Bureau include:
• Clare Short’s article was altered to include a claim that she had backtracked on her allegation that British spies had plotted to surveil diplomats at the United Nations.
• One user reduced the minimum number of women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese during World War II from 60,000 to 10,000.
• RMT secretary Bob Crow’s article was altered to include a comment about his ‘massive salary’.
• The article detailing Chris Huhne’s register of interests was edited to note that they no longer include gold mining companies. In 2006, an editor of Huhne’s article removed a line about him being one of a number of signatories to a letter declaring no confidence in Charles Kennedy.
• In 2008, a user mentioned on the article of Andrew Marr that he had taken out a superinjunction. Discussing standing legal injunctions is a potential contempt of court.
• Altering, then altering back, the spelling of ‘Dalek’ (or is it Darlek?).
• Seven changes to the ‘Laws about Incest’ page, helpfully listing the jurisdictions where it’s legal.
• Two edits to the article about Molly Weasley from the Harry Potter series, and three on her husband Arthur.
• Spelling errors were corrected in a passage discussing whether Pringles were legally recognised as crisps or cakes.
• MP Michael Fabricant was included in a list of ‘Notable DJs’.
• One user noted that the word ‘glazing’ derived from the Middle English for ‘glass’. That’s ‘glazing’, as in ‘eyes glazing over’.
• One eagle-eyed lobby-goer correctly observed that Red Ken’s last name is indeed ‘Livingstone’ and not ‘Twatface’.
• One individual edited the entry on The Lord of the Rings to describe it as ‘12 hours of utter tripe about some little bender running around trying to find a ring with his equally benderish mates’.
For our main article on Parliamentary Wikipedia edits, click here.
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