Tony Blair regarded the FoI Act as one of his greatest mistakes as prime minister

cross-posted from: https://lemmings.world/post/18709323

Ministers in Tony Blair’s government were advised to use Post-it notes for sensitive messages to avoid having to release them under new Freedom of Information, according newly-released official files.

The Labour government had originally passed the Freedom of Information Act in 2000 but as the full implementation date approached on January 1 2005 there was growing disquiet among ministers and senior officials at the implications.

  • rhythmisaprancer@moist.catsweat.com
    58·
    4 days ago

    I work for the US gov’t (in a very different capacity), and know folks who won’t write anything down, and will only talk in person or maybe on the phone. They will send a message to meet in their office, or come to my room. I’m not even involved in sensitive stuff. Madness.

    • prole@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      44·
      4 days ago

      Yep, and others do the exact opposite, insist on having a paper trail for everything in case some bullshit gets pinned on them.

      Good indicator of their honesty level.

      • shalafi@lemmy.worldEnglish
        13·
        3 days ago

        I’ve found people that want a paper trail on every tiny thing to be weaselly, don’t trust 'em a bit. The reverse is true as well. When someone goes out of their way to keep all communications oral and private, yeah, weasels.

    • Benjaben@lemmy.worldEnglish
      21·
      4 days ago

      I’ve bumped up against some federal govt (US) contracting work, and have seen this for sure. I’ve seen some (decision-making!) individuals who behave this way, impacting progress so badly that it truly smells like a compromised person / spy. It’s really that nuts sometimes, where the more plausible answer is that the person in question is not acting in good faith.

      • Zagorath@aussie.zoneEnglish
        17·
        4 days ago

        If you’re with someone like this, the best course of action is to write down what was said in person and email it to them after the meeting, saying something like “just confirming these were the takeaways from our recent meeting”. If they have a legitimate reason (one their superiors will accept) to tell you not to do that (and they have the power over you to give that order), then ah well, at least you tried and you’ll at least have that on the record. But it’s also quite likely that they’re trying to pull a fast one that their bosses wouldn’t be happy with.

        • Benjaben@lemmy.worldEnglish
          3·
          3 days ago

          I’m definitely aware of that move, you can kinda tell who has gotten burned the worst (or maybe just most recently) by this behavior - by how insistent they are about the paper trail.

          For me, I’d rather fuck off altogether, I want to work with people who want to get shit done. This nonsense is for the terminally unproductive, and that ain’t me.

          But, alas, myself and many others…ya play the hand you’re dealt, I guess. Working on swapping some cards though.

      • john89@lemmy.caEnglish
        92·
        4 days ago

        “Nothing to hide, nothing to fear.”

        Weird how that only applies to some of us…

    • Saleh@feddit.orgEnglish
      8·
      4 days ago

      That sounds quite illegal/against codes. Government agencies usually want a papertrail solely for their internal accountability and documentation. Of course there can be stuff “off the record”, but when it comes to decisionmaking, there should be some reason given on the record and that reason better looks plausible enough.

    • john89@lemmy.caEnglish
      102·
      4 days ago

      Gonna have to start recording everything said while on the clock.

      Fuck this subversive bullshit.