Your Right To Know: A Citizen's Guide to the Freedom of Information Act

Heather Brooke is a rather wonderful person.

A campaigner for open government and talented journalist (you can see her articles at Journalisted), she's written a guide for citizens wanting information from a government body.

If you've ever wanted to know how much money your local council makes from parking fines or the environmental record of a major water company, Heather's book will help. It's published by Pluto Press.

Your Right To Know: A Citizen's Guide to the Freedom of Information Act gives you all the information you need, including how to overcome delays, templates for writing letters requesting information and examples of how useful the Freedom of Information Act can be.

Heather includes the contact details of relevant government bodies, including the Department for International Development and the HM Prison Service and gives detailed information on when to contact each one. The book is well written and is never condesending.

The book also compares the freedom of information situation in Britain with other countries.

A copy should be in every British resident's home (and certainlty every journalist's) instead of that wretched "Preparing For Emergencies" pamplet David Blunkett sent out in 2004. That was part of an £8 million anti-terror/keeping people scared government campaign.