MPs lose their library cards

News.Com.Au has a Story on some troubles in The Parliamentary Library.

\”THE independence of parliamentarians has been undermined after a ruling that gives ministers the power to force MPs to pass requests for information through ministerial offices.

Ministers can now force Parliamentary Library researchers to go through their offices, so that ministerial staff will know what information is being sought by the MPs and can regulate the speed of the response.\”

Forgive me for being a stupid American, but, what\’s an MP?