Calls for a web re-design
Mar 2, 2010 Freedom of Information
I’m looking to radically re-design this site and would love to hear from any interested web designers.
In brief, I plan to keep the blog on wordpress but want to re-brand the site as heatherbrooke.org (I have purchased this domain name). I’d like to see more graphics and better navigation and more streamlined hierarchies. I’m [...]
Tonight’s the night!
Feb 23, 2010 Freedom of Information
Hope you’ll all tune in tonight to watch On Expenses at 9pm on BBC4.
Great to see it’s made pick of the day in most of the newspapers (even if my character was described by the Times’ parliamentary sketch writer Ann Treneman as ‘this side of loony on the bus’).
Well, if the shoe fits…
Drama will be broadcast Feb 23rd
Feb 15, 2010 Campaigns, FOI in Parliament, FOI in the news
The dramatisation of my campaign to open up Parliament now has a date.
On Expenses (formerly Bringing Down the House) will have its first broadcast on BBC4 at 9pm on Tuesday February 23rd. Don’t miss it!! I’ve done an interview with Martin Bell for the Radio Times and will be in tomorrow’s (Feb 16th) Woman’s [...]
Passing the Duchy on a Cornish Holiday
Feb 15, 2010 Environment, Freedom of Information
I’ve just returned from a week’s holiday in Cornwall. It was my first time along the Atlantic Cornish coast and I absolutely loved it. I did some epic walks along the cliffs of Crackington Haven then headed down past Tintagel, Rock, Padstow and on to St Ives with a few trips out to Penzance and [...]
Book edits DONE
Jan 29, 2010 Freedom of Information
You wait months for a new blog post and then three come along at once!
I’ve been neglecting the dear old YRTK blog while I thundered through all the research and writing necessary to complete the manuscript of The Silent State. It was stressful but intensely exciting and I turned in the book on deadline. [...]
Bad-mouthing FOI
Jan 29, 2010 FOI in the news, Freedom of Information, Law Enforcement
I notice the naysayers are peeping their heads over the parapet again. I’m serving notice that any public servants moaning about having to account to the public under the Freedom of Information had better be prepared to undergo some intense investigation on their spending. I’ll be keeping my eye out for any FOI bad-mouthers in [...]
Terrorists everywhere?
Dec 21, 2009 Freedom of Information
The British Journal of Photography have made some cunning FOI requests to determine the extent to which controversial “S44″ stop-and-search powers have been applied across Britain.
Under Sections 40-44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 , the police can stop and search you without a warrant, or any grounds for suspicion, and can arrest you and hold [...]
Reformer of the Year
Nov 19, 2009 Campaigns, FOI in the news, Freedom of Information
I don’t get to blog much these days as I’m in the final weeks of my book deadline but I ought to mention that I recently received a very welcome piece of news: I won the title of Political Reformer of the Year 2009 after an online election held by the think-tank Reform.
I was [...]
Hidden High Court Injuctions
Oct 16, 2009 Campaigns, Freedom of Information, Justice & Courts
The Twitter vs Trafigura case continues though it really is the Guardian newspaper and Wikileaks who have been driving this amazing story that illustrates the total lack of freedom of expression granted to the citizens of Britain.
For those who haven’t been following the case: The Guardian was attempting to report on Trafigura, a multi-national [...]
When Heather met Paxman
Oct 13, 2009 Campaigns, Central Government, FOI in Parliament, FOI in the news, Freedom of Information
The story that keeps on giving has given me another blast on the airwaves. I’ve been on the TV and radio the last few days talking about the internal audit done on MPs’ expenses in which several hundred MPs have been asked to pay back money. I’ve been brutal, accepting only a few requests due [...]
