At Institute for Government in London for an event on the Freedom of Information Act at 25. My Democracy for Sale colleague @jennacorderoy.bsky.social rightly stressing that FOI responses are at an all time low. So much prevarication from government departments in particular

Insane lengths the government goes to to fight transparency. Great to have Lucas Amin @petergeoghegan.bsky.social and @jennacorderoy.bsky.social fighting back. The Cabinet Office refused, claiming disclosure could harm “the effective conduct of public affairs.” - Ridiculous.

This is going to be a really, really good discussion on Freedom of Information - get along if you can!

Looking forward to speaking at the Institute for Government's panel discussion on the Freedom of Information Act. Registration details for the September event are here: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/foi-ac...

Looking forward to speaking at the Institute for Government's panel discussion on the Freedom of Information Act. Registration details for the September event are here: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/foi-ac...

After 14 years of Tory failure to clean up our politics, it's time for Labour to deliver. We urgently need an elections bill to close the glaring loopholes in our donation rules.

An Elections Bill is expected very soon. This is a test for Starmer’s government: will it close the loopholes — or let dark money shape the next election too? If you want more fearless, independent journalism that follows the money — support Democracy for Sale today: democracyforsale.substack.com

So thrilled about this - such a pleasure to work with @petergeoghegan.bsky.social and @lucasamin.bsky.social

Important piece from @petergeoghegan.bsky.social democracyforsale.substack.com/p/starmer-ha...

Incredibly proud of @petergeoghegan.bsky.social and @lucasamin.bsky.social

Now live on Democracy for Sale with @seththevoz.bsky.social talking about who funds Reform! democracyforsale.substack.com/live-stream/...

🔴 Whitehall departments responded in full to just 29% of Freedom of Information requests in 2024 - an all time low A Labour MP calls on government ‘to put an end to the culture of obfuscation’ open.substack.com/pub/democrac...

Lovely piece about how the government sought to misuse FoI law, and how the government was defeated. Enjoy the story.

🔴 Remember Aria, the “moonshot" research agency dreamed up by Dominic Cummings? It's funded by £800m in public money but exempt from FOI laws We decided to fight for transparency... and we won 🎉 New on Democracy for Sale w/ @lucasamin.bsky.social democracyforsale.substack.com/p/dominic-cu...

“It is absolutely disgraceful – strong language that accurately reflects the culpability of the Department – for the Cabinet Office to continue to refuse to come clean about who Gove and other ministers were lobbied by” – @jolyonmaugham.bsky.social democracyforsale.substack.com/p/reform-uk-...

Delighted to have a shout out from @carolecadwalla.bsky.social for Democracy for Sale at @granardbooktown.bsky.social 😊 Join the buzz democracyforsale.substack.com

Tireless investigators like @jennacorderoy.bsky.social really shouldn’t have to spend four years - and go to court - to prise documents out of government. But we are so lucky that she does (and I’m so lucky to work with her at Democracy for Sale) democracyforsale.substack.com/p/reform-uk-...

I filed this FOI request in 2021. It's taken *four years* and going to a tribunal to get this information. And we still don't have it all. New on Democracy for Sale: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/reform-uk-...

Democracy for Sale will continue to fight for all the details of the VIP lane, and the politicians who put companies on it. We're also working a series of major investigations and more cases to battle government secrecy Do follow our work! democracyforsale.substack.com/subscribe

Read @jennacorderoy.bsky.social, @petergeoghegan.bsky.social & @russellscott1.bsky.social’s investigation into how Nick Candy, the billionaire property developer – then a major Tory donor, now Reform treasurer – found himself in the PPE VIP lane: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/reform-uk-...

🔴 SCOOP: Nick Candy’s personal company was placed on the lucrative ‘VIP lane’ for Covid contracts Candy donated £340k to the Tories before resigning to join Reform UK as treasurer New by @jennacorderoy.bsky.social @russellscott1.bsky.social and me 🧵 democracyforsale.substack.com/p/reform-uk-...

🚨🚨Reform UK treasurer Nick Candy’s firm was put in Covid ‘VIP lane’ Exclusive: Candy’s company among previously undisclosed Tory-linked businesses placed in PPE VIP lane. Latest report by @jennacorderoy.bsky.social @petergeoghegan.bsky.social and me ⤵️ democracyforsale.substack.com/p/reform-uk-...

This is an important story from my brilliant colleague @lucasamin.bsky.social democracyforsale.substack.com/p/revealed-t...

🔴 Democracy for Sale just passed 650 paid subscribers. 🎉🎉🎉 We don't paywall our stories - because we want them to reach as far as possible - but we do rely on our readers to support our work If you can, please support stories like this: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/government...

🔴 For *four years* officials refused to release names of all companies linked to Conservative donors and party figures put in the 'VIP' lane for bumper Covid contracts Now a judge has ordered them to. Huge win for @jennacorderoy.bsky.social (and DfS) democracyforsale.substack.com/p/government...

🔴 Access Social Care, who challenge the UK Government over lack of transparency in social care funding, are gathering the views of members of the public to share as evidence for The Casey Commission, which begins next month. You can take their survey here: tally.so/r/m6Mj9A

🚨 A secretive policing unit has been instructing forces across the UK withhold information, track journalists, and rescind previously approved FOI responses. @jennacorderoy.bsky.social 's debut on Democracy for Sale - and it's a banger democracyforsale.substack.com/p/democracy-...

CLOSING SOON: Our Safeguarding Democracy survey - all about what *you* think about money in Uk politics Should political donations be capped? Or banned altogether? Should foreign money be taken out of our politics? 10k responded already. Have you? democracyforsale.co.uk/safeguard Please share!

New job: Thrilled to have joined @petergeoghegan.bsky.social and @lucasamin.bsky.social at Democracy for Sale. Can't wait to get stuck in. Sign up to our newsletter for weekly scoops democracyforsale.substack.com

Remember when UK gov't helped sanctioned Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin sue @eliothiggins.bsky.social? Well, now solicitor's regulator investigation found the British law firm involved broke no rules - and case wasn't a Slapp New on Democracy for Sale: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/uk-law-fir...