The Politics of Secrecy - confidential government and the public right to know.

Information

By James Michael

Published by Pelican, UK, 1982

Soft cover, foxing on pages due to age.

Should British government remain a state secret. From evacuation plans in the event of nuclear disaster to meat plant inspection reports, too much information that should be available to us all is being kept secret, or leaked unofficially at the risk of prosecution. Britain’s government, in contrast to that of other Western countries like the US and Sweden, is run like a private industry.

Here James Michael looks at the key factors, from the nature of parliamentary procedure to the Official Secrets Act and the role of the press, and takes us through the pros and cons of open government. Illustrating his debate with recent examples, including the ABC trial, the Crossman diaries and the thalidomide case, he gives a stimulating analysis of the causes – and possible cures- of the unhealthy level of government secrecy in Britain today