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 [...]
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 [...]
A small victory for openness
Oct 4, 2009 Campaigns, FOI in Parliament, Freedom of Information
The Committee on Standards in Public Life has now decided to publish my statement in full after I complained vociferously against their timid lawyers’ claims that it was potentially defamatory.
I received an email while away on holiday the other week: “The Committee having weighed the risks decided to publish the submission.”
It is available to [...]
Article: Top cops’ pay should not be top secret
Aug 10, 2009 Articles, Campaigns, FOI in the news, Freedom of Information, Law Enforcement
Top cops, come clean
The Guardian, 10 August 2009
By Heather Brooke
Secrecy feeds suspicion of a boys’ club stitch-up. Chief constables need to be open on pay and perks
Secrecy can be sexy. It’s essential to any good mystery novel. But there should be no mystery surrounding the pay of top public officials. In October 2008 I made [...]
My critic in the news again
Jun 25, 2009 Campaigns, FOI in Parliament, Freedom of Information
Readers of the blog may recall Alan Keen MP questioning my motives at a parliamentary inquiry held several weeks ago.
With his wife, Ann, the couple are known as ‘Mr and Mrs Expenses’ for using £175,000 of taxpayers’ money to help buy a flat near Parliament – while they already had a constituency home nine [...]
Bigger moats to clean
Jun 11, 2009 Campaigns, FOI in the news, Freedom of Information
In the hoo-ha about the Government’s new plans to be more transparent we should not be surprised that these reforms also include attempts to be more secretive. In the same way the Zimbabwe Government shut down newspapers under that country’s Freedom of Information law, so this Government plans to make Cabinet minutes automatically exempt from [...]
Speaking at the Frontline Club Monday June 8th
Jun 4, 2009 Campaigns
I’ll be speaking about the MPs’ expenses story on Monday at the Frontline Club in London Monday June 8th at 7.30pm. Joining me will be Roger Alton, editor of The Independent, Andrew Pierce, assistant editor of the Daily Telegraph and media commentator Roy Greenslade who will be chairing the event.
I imagine we’ll be talking [...]
Guardian cover-girl
May 15, 2009 Campaigns, FOI in Parliament
I’m on the front cover of today’s G2.
Is this the apex of my campaign? My 15 minutes of fame might now be coming to a close if the Commons actually comes clean, gets rid of the corrupt and institutes a new transparency regime. That actually looks as though it might now happen.
I’m in such [...]
