Rupert Lowe, the MP for Great Yarmouth and leader of the Restore Britain party, has been barred from using the freedom of information website WhatDoTheyKnow after submitting over 1,000 requests. The MP criticised the decision as "not in the spirit of transparency".
Mr Lowe's extensive inquiries through the platform, which facilitates public access to government information, included 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, enabling users to easily submit and monitor their freedom of information requests to Whitehall departments and other public bodies. Mr Lowe’s account was suspended after the site said he had used it to "send general messages to public authorities or for personal messages" to public organisations.
In a statement on Tuesday, Mr Lowe told 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."
A spokesperson for WhatDoTheyKnow confirmed to the Press Association that Mr Lowe had been banned from using the website but declined to comment further.
