If Gordon loves Obama so much, let’s see him follow his lead on FOI
Jan 21, 2009 Freedom of Information
I’m not into this whole cult of personality surrounding Barak Obama. While I’m pleased he got in, I wish a similar amount of energy and focus went into fixing Britain’s own failing democracy. There are plenty of ways people could get involved in this country to shake up the political system and make it more [...]
Expenses U-Turn
Jan 21, 2009 Central Government, FOI in Parliament, Freedom of Information
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has just told the House of Commons that plans to amend Freedom of Information laws to exempt MPs expenses will be abandoned. As readers of the blog will know, MPs were due to vote on this shameless bill tomorrow. Now it seems the issue is shelved.
The Times reports that Mr [...]
Enough is enough
Jan 21, 2009 Freedom of Information
There is a fantastic advertisement in today’s Times getting the word out to the public about MPs’ shameless behaviour. It’s sponsored by Unlock Democracy. Take a look if you’ve not seen it. And remember that you only have until tomorrow morning to write to or telephone your MP!
Expenses claimed by MPs in 2008:
£87.6 million
Margaret Beckett’s [...]
Backwards in coming forwards
Jan 19, 2009 Freedom of Information
New Blogger Lucy Jordan writes…
Interesting that the least transparent government office is the most central one. Private Eye reports this week that the Information Commissioner has served the Cabinet Office with a formal notice after refusing to supply him with information to resolve a FOI request from Private Eye for eight months. That’s [...]
MPs’ expenses – We have until Thursday to stop this rot
Jan 18, 2009 Campaigns, FOI in Parliament, Freedom of Information
Just when you think MPs couldn’t sink any lower in the public’s esteem, they do something so outrageous that it boggles the mind.
Last Thursday, Ministers sneakily put forward a proposal that would exempt MPs’ expenses from the Freedom of Information Act. Apart from the fact this is taxpayer money, MPs have a duty to [...]
Article: Watching the Police
Jan 18, 2009 Articles, FOI in Parliament, Law Enforcement
Secret Policemen are having a ball at our expense
The Big Issue, December 2008
By Heather Brooke
Once upon a time people complained of rarely seeing a bobby on the beat. Now they’re lucky to get a full glimpse of a policeman’s face.
Watching the video footage of police searching the office of MP Damian Green I noticed [...]
