Time: 1:00 - 2:00pm Venue: FB 4.04/4.08 Bancroft
Abstract:
Tony Blair said FOI was his biggest regret and David Cameron said it was ‘furring up the arteries of government. So why do it? This seminar will examine why politicians choose to champion transparency laws and reforms and what happens when they do. Drawing on his work on FOI and Open Data in the UK, Ben Worthy will look at the political and democratic benefits and the potential costs of transparency from Blair to May, ending with some thoughts on how secrecy and openness have shaped Brexit.
About Dr. Ben Worthy:
Dr Ben Worthy is a leading national expert in government transparency. He has presented evidence to the Justice and Public Administration Select Committees and worked as an independent reporter for the Open Government Partnership. His book ‘The Politics of Freedom of Information: How and Why Governments Pass Laws That Threaten Their Power’ was recently published by the Manchester University Press. The seminar will be of interest to colleagues in the School working on public management/public policy topics and students from the Masters in Public Administration. It is also likely to attract interest from colleagues in the School of Politics and International Relations.