Here's an excellent contribution to the debate about the scandalous attempt to water down the already insipid Freedom of Information (FoI) Act. Ben Fenton, a Daily Telegraph's journalist, argues that the Act is "a deceit... a farce, a sham and a disgrace to British democracy." He details the problems he faced in making an FoI request which resulted in a 21-month wait to receive a response which denied him access. Nor is he expecting much sympathy from the Information Commissioner.
His indictment should be read by every journalist, and we should mount a proper campaign. Can anyone tell me why regional papers are doing a better job than the nationals at complaining about this enormously important matter? (Via Telegraph blogs)
