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!

The Freedom of Information Act at 25: What next for freedom of information? | Institute for Government The event includes proposals and discussion about how the Freedom of Information system can improve for the future.

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...

The Freedom of Information Act at 25: What next for freedom of information? | Institute for Government The event includes proposals and discussion about how the Freedom of Information system can improve for the future.

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.

Democracy for Sale | Peter Geoghegan | Substack A newsletter dedicated to revealing how dark money and hidden influence threaten our democracy. Click to read Democracy for Sale, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.

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

Starmer has broken his promise to end sleaze After a year in power, Labour’s listlessness on corruption risks eroding democracy further

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

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

LIVE NOW: Who Funds Reform with Seth Thevoz Peter Geoghegan on Substack

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

Government transparency hits new record low – again Labour MP calls on government to “put an end to the culture of obfuscation” as FOI response rates drop to lowest ever

🔴 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.

Democracy for Sale 1, Dominic Cummings 0 We fought to expose the £800m research agency that Cummings built to escape scrutiny - and we won.

🔴 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...

Reform UK treasurer Nick Candy’s firm was put in Covid ‘VIP lane’ Exclusive: Candy’s personal company among previously undisclosed Tory-linked businesses and individuals placed in controversial PPE VIP lane.

“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-...

Reform UK treasurer Nick Candy’s firm was put in Covid ‘VIP lane’ Exclusive: Candy’s personal company among previously undisclosed Tory-linked businesses and individuals placed in controversial PPE VIP lane.

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-...

Subscribe to Democracy for Sale A newsletter dedicated to revealing how dark money and hidden influence threaten our democracy. Click to read Democracy for Sale, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.

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

Reform UK treasurer Nick Candy’s firm was put in Covid ‘VIP lane’ Exclusive: Candy’s personal company among previously undisclosed Tory-linked businesses and individuals placed in controversial PPE VIP lane.

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-...

Reform UK treasurer Nick Candy’s firm was put in Covid ‘VIP lane’ Exclusive: Candy’s personal company among previously undisclosed Tory-linked businesses and individuals placed in controversial PPE VIP lane.

🔴 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 personal company among previously undisclosed Tory-linked businesses and individuals placed in controversial PPE VIP lane.

🚨🚨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-...

Revealed: the NHS mental health technology that failed its patients A patient surveillance system developed by a member of the House of Lords is used by dozens of NHS trusts, but our investigation found that Oxevision has been implicated in multiple deaths

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

Government loses legal battle over Covid ‘VIP Lane’ Exclusive: Judge slams “most unsatisfactory” Cabinet Office and orders release of names of 'VIP' firms to Democracy for Sale reporter - after *four year* wait.

🔴 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...

Government loses legal battle over Covid ‘VIP Lane’ Exclusive: Judge slams “most unsatisfactory” Cabinet Office and orders release of names of 'VIP' firms to Democracy for Sale reporter - after *four year* wait.

🔴 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 survey

🔴 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

Democracy for Sale journalists targeted by secretive police unit A little-known policing unit is instructing forces to withhold information, track journalists, and rescind previously approved FOI responses.

🚨 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-...

Democracy For Sale - Safeguard Democracy A survey to make a people-powered plan to safeguard Britain's democracy from leading investigative journalists who write about lobbying and dark money

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!