Threat to UK Freedom of Information - urgent

[MeSci]

I've just been notified of the UK government's plans to introduce extortionate fees for requests for information under Freedom of Information laws, and of a way to oppose them.

These laws have been used - with limited success - to challenge the PACE trials among other things, and the imposition of large fees might seriously further hamper our ability to do such things. I'm not sure whether this specific type of FOI request would be included, but requests for other medical info, e.g. relating to the NHS, look as though they might be.

Please take this action if you are eligible (maybe only UK citizens):

The government want to introduce fees - of up to £600! - for people who use Freedom of Information laws to find out the truth about what they’re doing.

The Freedom of Information law means that journalists, academics and campaigners can find out what the government is really up to. The list of scandals it has helped laid bare is endless: it exposed the MP expenses scandal, helped uncover details of historic child abuse allegations and revealed the huge number of NHS contracts being handed out to profit-hungry companies.

38 Degrees is a movement of people fighting to make our democracy work better. We hold our politicians to account, and make sure that politicians hear the voices of ordinary people. But we can't do that if we're shut out. Unless we stop this dodgy cover up, it’s going to be even harder to now what politicians are getting up to in our name.

Please can you sign the petition calling on the government to protect FOI?

https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/protect-FOI-laws

 

[alkt]

signed and shared seems to be a typical governments attack on civil liberties.

 

[alex3619]

The UK has successfully done similar things for a very long time. Try to get court transcripts and watch the costs go into many digits. Its been said by a journalist in the UK that the Chinese government is more transparent than the UK government, though I wonder how far this is exaggerated.

 

[SilverbladeTE]

The UK has successfully done similar things for a very long time. Try to get court transcripts and watch the costs go into many digits. Its been said by a journalist in the UK that the Chinese government is more transparent than the UK government, though I wonder how far this is exaggerated.

No it's not wrong
During the Cold War, the most secretive states in the world were Albania, blech I've forgotten the other one, and the UK
the UK abuses the hell out of it's labyrinthine, nepotistic, inbred, elitist bureaucracy and the "Official Secrets Act" to hide damn near everything, regardless of whether it is or should be "secret"

to show this on the recent exposure of horrific mass child abuse, the British government refused to change the Official Secrets Act to permit whistleblowers to come forward and expose these crimes, after being threatened with the O.S.A. to shut up by Special Branch or MI5 (sometimes at gun point, that's nto hyperbole, it's been stated by credible witnesses including cops)

Now what kind of government would NOT want the mass rape of tens of thousands of children, the murder of hundreds of them, and assassination of a dozen or so whistleblowers, investigated?
And thus, what kind of an over all mentality and behaviour do they have?

 

[Large Donner]

No it's not wrong

Now what kind of government would NOT want the mass rape of tens of thousands of children, the murder of hundreds of them, and assassination of a dozen or so whistleblowers, investigated?

The kind who use pedophilia as a means of blackmail of senior politicians to get them to do what they want and vote how they want.

Heres a verbatum quote from the former Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, that went out on LBC radio, London largest talk radio station.

“I was raising in parliament against Mrs Thatcher the Kincora Boys Home
where boys were being abused and MI5 was filming it because they were
hoping to be able to blackmail senior politicians in Northern Ireland.
They were hoping to catch one of Ian Paisley’s MP’s – and they never did
- and give themselves some leverage. The truth is there’s been an awful
lot of covering up of paedophiles and paedophile rings for decades and
decades.”

I have listened to the quote directly before myself just cant find a player for it right now. Ill have another look and post it if I can. This kind of thing makes you realise when you look at things like the Jimmy Saville issue, who he was linked to, the fact that he was knighted etc etc that quashing FOI access is nothing to the people at the top of government.

 

[Large Donner]

Here it is..

 

[Daisymay]

Signed and shared, truly appalling. Thanks for posting.

 

[snowathlete]

I've just been notified of the UK government's plans to introduce extortionate fees for requests for information under Freedom of Information laws, and of a way to oppose them.

These laws have been used - with limited success - to challenge the PACE trials among other things, and the imposition of large fees might seriously further hamper our ability to do such things. I'm not sure whether this specific type of FOI request would be included, but requests for other medical info, e.g. relating to the NHS, look as though they might be.

Please take this action if you are eligible (maybe only UK citizens):

wow. Probably the most important petition I'll sign this year.

 

[Bob]

This is not directly related to the petition, but here's a bit of extra reading for anyone interested...

Newspapers join forces and tell David Cameron not to water down Freedom of Information law
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...down-freedom-of-information-law-10513112.html

 

[LisaGoddard]

Signed up. Thanks for posting this.