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UK’s transparency watchdog has a terrible transparency record of its own

The Information Commissioner’s Office, headed by Elizabeth Denham until last month, is failing to stick to its own rule book

By Jon Baines
UK’s transparency watchdog has a terrible transparency record of its own
Like the government, the Information Commissioner’s Office has a shoddy track record on FOI | Alamy Stock Photo
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In a damning intervention last week, the UK’s former information commissioner condemned the government’s record on transparency.

Elizabeth Denham told MPs she was “frustrated and disappointed” when the Cabinet Office refused her offer to review how it handles Freedom of Information (FOI) requests.

She said the move had “increased suspicion” about government secrecy, following an openDemocracy tribunal victory against the Cabinet Office.

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