Danger: spooks at work

[Ian BROWN]

> ONE standby of investigative journalism is the Freedom of
> Information Act (the FOI) which sometimes allows reporters to
> access documents that politicians or bureaucrats would prefer
> remain hidden...

And on a UK FOIA, ta-da, here comes Jack Straw to the rescue of the spooks and 
police (as usual). Unbelievable for someone who was spied upon by MI5 because 
he was president of the National Union of Students in a previous life.

Access to secrets will be diluted
By Andrew Grice, Political Editor 
The Independent, 5 February 1999

THE GOVERNMENT has watered down its long-awaited plans for a Freedom of 
Information Act, which will be published next month.

Although ministers will hail their proposals as an historic and radical 
change, they are facing a backlash from Labour MPs furious that the 
legislation will be weaker than outlined in a 1997 White Paper...

Labour MPs who want "an act with teeth" believe it has been watered down by 
Jack Straw, the Home Secretary, who took over responsibility for freedom of 
information after David Clark, the Cabinet Office minister, was sacked by Tony 
Blair last July. Mr Clark drew up the White Paper and wanted a radical bill. 
Andrew Mackinlay, the Labour MP for Thurrock, said yesterday: "The White Paper 
was a ground-breaking document and should be enacted in full. It would give us 
one of the most radical Freedom of Information Acts in the world..."

http://www.independent.co.uk/stories/A0502918.html