MP Rupert Lowe Banned from FOI Website After Submitting Over 1,000 Requests
Rupert Lowe, the Member of Parliament for Great Yarmouth and leader of the Restore Britain party, has been officially barred from using the freedom of information website WhatDoTheyKnow. This significant decision comes after Mr Lowe submitted more than 1,000 individual requests through the platform, a move he has strongly criticised as "not in the spirit of transparency".
Extensive Inquiries and Platform Function
Mr Lowe's extensive use of the website involved a wide range of inquiries, including questions on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hires and training, alleged grooming gangs, and universal credit provisions for refugees. WhatDoTheyKnow operates as an independent online archive that facilitates public access to government information by allowing users to submit and monitor freedom of information requests to Whitehall departments and other public bodies efficiently.
The suspension of Mr Lowe's account was implemented after the site determined he had used it to "send general messages to public authorities or for personal messages" to public organisations, which violates the platform's intended use for formal FOI requests.
MP's Response and Criticism
In a statement released on Tuesday, Mr Lowe expressed his disappointment, telling the Press Association: "Sadly our access has been restricted, which I do not believe is in the spirit of transparency. Our teams have uncovered huge scandals through FOI and investigation work. This censorship will not stop us from containing those efforts."
He further emphasised the role of his party, stating: "Restore Britain is the only political party first correctly identifying the issues, but more importantly outlining how to solve it. What a novel approach that is."
Confirmation and Further Details
A spokesperson for WhatDoTheyKnow confirmed to the Press Association that Mr Lowe had indeed been banned from using the website but declined to provide additional comments on the matter. The incident highlights ongoing tensions between public transparency efforts and the operational limits of FOI platforms, raising questions about the balance between access to information and potential misuse of such systems.
