THE TORIES have not had a lot of luck with their legislation. Last week, in the wake of the Blunt Margaret Thatcher thé Protection of Official țion Bill, already House of Lords, was being dumped.
The government could hardly do The Blunt 'scandal' been blazoned around the world, and Andrew Boyle, Climate of Treason first brought the facts to light, declared proposed [dW would publication of such information Britain illegal.
In fact, Boyle was only able to write his book by using sources in The situation is that authors journalists who have sufficient funds are travelling to the American capital in ordér to government documents about hes and policies governments.
Here, the Official Secrets Act seals up virtually all information concernthe the civil service, te mantary, lne secret service, and just about every other aspect of govenment affairs. Defunct The now defunct Protection of Official Information Bill, showed all the signs of being dreamt up by civil servants, greatly extended affair, announced that the courts Informa- publishing it.
has In the United DOOK been aken Information Act.
that the the about him or herself, held on federal, government files.
absurd and who was because of his activities CIA has the would have the powers of officials to classify information, and prosecute those Even mentioning that you thought blatant. your phone was tapped would have States, a step towards the public's right to know has with the Freedom of This gives all individual access to any intormation For about any organisation s/he belongs to thal is slale, COCA Thus, for example, Philip Agee expelled Britain against th obtained copies of telegrams sent from the US embassy in London about his deportation.
against As in the Blunt case, the American legislation also provides access to tinance, about domesuc and foreign policies and activities- While the discretion that can be exercised by the authorities in revealing details can be challenged in the courts (in which, incidentally, the judges are elected), the legislation infar from perfect. But which it's a far cry from the clandestinity of Last week's backdown on official secrecy by the Tory government does not mean that new legislation will be much more bberal than the defunct Bill; merely that it will be a little less Secrecy - In the affairs industry, finance, and the state itself weapon capitalism, for allows bourgeoise lo formulale lEs plans against the working class of its 'own' country and others in a way most beneficial to their realisation.
The myth that elected governments, at least, know what's going on has been exploded by the Blunt case. When the secret service granted Blunt immunity from prosecution in 1964, the Prime Minister of the day was not informed. And that Prime Minister, Lord Hume, was a Tory.
Countless historical examples in Britain and elsewhere, show how the state apparatus routinely conspires left-wing capitalist societies, quite apart from the secretive decisions of business and which will defend interests againsi those of the working class and its government.
That is why we should demand the opening of all the books of companies and the banks, and why we should call for a Freedom of Information Act makes all files government and the state open to inspection. Act, which is interpretation relative, to increasing the and individual doctors.