The Politics of Freedom of Information: How and Why Governments Pass Laws That Threaten Their Power

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Ben Worthy

The Politics of Freedom of Information

How and Why Governments Pass Laws That Threaten Their Power

Ben Worthy

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English

Manchester University Press
10 February 2017

Freedom of information & freedom of speech; Freedom of information law

Why do governments pass freedom of information laws? The symbolic power and force surrounding FOI makes it appealing as an electoral promise but hard to disengage from once in power. However, behind closed doors compromises and manoeuvres ensure that bold policies are seriously weakened before they reach the statute book.

The politics of freedom of information examines how Tony Blair's government proposed a radical FOI law only to back down in fear of what it would do. But FOI survived, in part due to the government's reluctance to be seen to reject a law that spoke of 'freedom', 'information' and 'rights'. After comparing the British experience with the difficult development of FOI in Australia, India and the United States - and the rather different cases of Ireland and New Zealand - the book concludes by looking at how the disruptive, dynamic and democratic effects of FOI laws continue to cause controversy once in operation. -- .

By: Ben Worthy
Imprint: Manchester University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm, Spine: 14mm
Weight: 517g
ISBN: 9780719097676
ISBN 10: 0719097673
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 10 February 2017
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

1 FOI: hard to resist and hard to escape 2 From radical to inevitable: the development of FOI in Britain 3 New Labour, new openness? 4 The 1997 White Paper: a symbolic victory? 5 The 1999 draft Bill: the retreat becomes a rout 6 The Parliamentary passage: asymmetric warfare 7 FOI in the UK: survival and afterlife 8 The US, Australia and India: two firsts and the greatest? 9 Ireland and New Zealand: a legacy and an assault from within 10 FOI and the remaking of politics Conclusion: why do governments pass FOI laws? References Index -- .

Ben Worthy is Lecturer in Politics at Birkbeck College, University of London -- .