Get them by the Short and Curlies
We’ve all had great entertainment from The Daily Telegraph’s dripping tap exposé on MPs’ expenses. With oohs and ahhs we picked over the bones of discombobulated baby-kissers. Our outrage knew no bounds.
But all of it was second-hand information, spoon fed by a national institution. Just imagine how we would have felt if we had actually discovered this government fiasco ourselves.
Well now’s our chance. UK journalism students and local news reporters are being asked to take part in a network researching and investigating local government’s accounts. So why not bloggers too?
Apparently individuals can only make requests for information from local authorities in their area, which makes research at best time consuming, at worst fragmented.
If everyone with a bit of spare time spent it ferreting financial information out of their local council it would help impose the transparency most of us want from all levels of government.
Check out the story here and become a Bernstein or a Woodward.
-
1
July 1, 2009 at 9:51 pm -
Brilliant spot Anna – am now on the case! Know when the County Council period is – now after the District Council in West Oxon.
-
2
July 1, 2009 at 9:55 pm -
Anna have also linked to your post!
-
3
July 1, 2009 at 10:43 pm -
What a fab suggestion, but will journalists get on the case ?
Will it really be bloggers who do the graft, as journalists have got so lazy they just rehash other peoples news, read off the web.
Hense the reason Mr Orange has invited ’students’ to do the leg
work i guess. -
4
July 2, 2009 at 10:25 am -
This is good.
For too long Government, local government, the police, the BBC, the NHS and all other public bodies have got away with murder. They have wilfully spent public money without ever being accountable. Does it really take an economic position as present to create this dissemination? – which we still have to fight for – this information should be readily available all ready!! The public bodies will not be amused – they will see it as a direct challenge to their professionalism – something I am all too familiar with – and of course, a total denial of the real issues.
-
5
July 2, 2009 at 11:46 am -
mmmm I’m no journalist but ( I am a pedant its Hence @mink) I dont think I have the time to do all of that plus I tend to drown in paper at present which reminds me I need to do the ironing ( ay de mi I hate doing it) I am planning to have a lady who does soon
-
6
July 2, 2009 at 11:55 am -
I last ironed in 1976 – if you try really hard it doesn’t bother you after a while and the crumpled look has a resurgence every decade or so.
-
7
July 2, 2009 at 11:57 am -
ps Henry North London, I am a pedant too (it’s Hence@mink).
-
8
July 2, 2009 at 11:43 pm -
I have to admit that the last time I ironed was in 1976 too…
Things changed, though. I had someone else to do it, more than one in a row b.t.w. [even though I liked doing it myself… ], but I DO remember the last time – listening to the radio and hearing the Dutch losing an important match for the wrong reasons…
Just a rant, sorry …
PS I am NOT a soccer fan
-
9
July 3, 2009 at 12:39 am -
Châtelaine – I HATED ironing and have developed a few alternatives including wearing crumpled clothes (not ideal), buying clothes that don’t need to be ironed (mostly uncomfortable material), and conning other people into ironing for me (rarer than hen’s teeth).
Unlike you I don’t exactly remember my last ironing spree but I do remember it didn’t last long and that the unironed remnents are still knocking about somewhere!
-
10
July 3, 2009 at 3:59 pm -
Private Eye would provide many useful starting points for those with the interest, energy, and resilience……
-
11
July 3, 2009 at 11:58 pm -
Anna, where art thou?
Holidays is fine, but we should be warned
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }