Tag: Ben Worthy
David Cameron and the Tax Havens: Transparency is only a partial answer to a much bigger question
Since 2011 David Cameron has been pushing for a public ‘Beneficial Ownership’ list to increase transparency around assets and business interests. In this post, Ben Worthy considers how effective such a register will be at opening up tax havens or tackling avoidance of the kind seen in the Panama papers leak. He writes that – […]
Disruptive or beneficial? Freedom of information in the UK
On 1 March, to some surprise, the Burns Commission concluded that the Freedom of Information Act was ‘generally working well’. Ben Worthy and Robert Hazell explain how the Commission came to this unexpected result and, drawing on the results three major research projects, argue that since it came into force in 2005 FOI has achieved its […]
Boris Johnson’s influence over the outcome of the EU referendum is highly overstated
Boris Johnson, the Conservative Mayor of London and MP for Uxbridge, recently announced that he would campaign for a vote to Leave the European Union in the forthcoming referendum on UK membership of that body. Here, Ben Worthy argues that Boris’s views aren’t as influential as his media admirers may suggest. Similar PostsA great or […]
Better than asking: An experiment on the effectiveness of FOI requests
In July 2015 the government appointed a new independent commissionto look into how the law on freedom of information (FOI) is working. Having received 30,000 pieces of evidence, the commission has also managed to unite the Guardian and the Daily Mail against it while Labour has responded with its own alternative review. Here, Ben Worthy, […]
Why governments think that freedom of information is for nincompoops
The Government has recently announced a review into the Freedom of Information legislation introduced by the New Labour government led by Tony Blair, who has let it been known recently that he deeply regrets his decision. Benjamin Worthy looks at what to expect from the commission, and observes that politicians are less likely to support […]
If he handles his leadership well, Jeremy Corbyn could become the successful rebel head of an anti-establishment party
Jeremy Corbyn was recently announced as the Leader of the Labour Party, surprising everybody in beating established candidates such as Andy Burnham and Yvette Cooper, despite having never held a frontbench role. His critics suppose that his status as an outsider, somewhat outside the mainstream of his parliamentary party, may mean that he has a […]
Open data at the local level can help to create a new eco-system of openness and activism
In 2010, the Government began pushing for local authorities in England to release information on public spending over a certain threshold – in this case £500. Ben Worthy argues that although reform is needed to maximise the potential of this new and developing area of local authority activity, the signs over the first five years […]
The Government’s Freedom of Information commission tilts the political discussion towards damage and cost
On Friday of last week, the Government announced a new commission on Freedom of Information. Here, Ben Worthy offers his response to the announcement, arguing that the objections to the scope and usage of FOI that have been raised are nothing new, and furthermore aren’t unique to the UK. Further, he argues that the commission’s remit tilts […]
Politicians should embrace the radicalism of Freedom of Information, else they may end up regretting it
The Freedom of Information Act was introduced by Tony Blair’s first Labour government, something which the former Prime Minister now regrets. His new-found scepticism has been echoed by the new Justice Secretary, Michael Gove, who has proposed limiting its reach. Ben Worthy argues that politicians should embrace the full radicalism of Freedom of Information, rather […]
The Maria Miller imbroglio shows that the MPs expenses system is beset by complexity and political meddling
The Culture Secretary Maria Miller has resigned following a controversy over her expenses. She is the latest in a series of politicians to brought to heel over expenses since 2009, when the original scandal was triggered by the Daily Telegraph’s investigations into exactly what MPs were claiming for. Ben Worthy argues that the Miller imbroglio illustrates that the system is currently beset […]
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