The Daily Star have won a Freedom of Information battle with South Yorkshire Police over the emails of their enior staff relating to the Hillsborough disaster. 

The Daily Star report: 

In late November some were released under the Freedom of Information Act. But others, including the email containing the slur, were withheld after Mr Crompton signed a document barring their release.

He said that ahead of the HIP report it had been “necessary for senior managers to be able to discuss matters freely and candidly” and that disclosure would “inhibit frank discussions and decision making”.

…….

But the Daily Star Sunday appealed on public interest grounds and said “potentially embarrassing material” should not be withheld. As a panel including the head of the force’s professional standards department assessed our arguments, Mr Crompton “revisited” his stance and released the contents.

You can read the full story here. 

Matthew Burgess
http://www.mattburgess.co
I am a journalist and author. I am a journalist at the UK edition of WIRED magazine. In 2015, my first book Freedom of Information: A Practical Guide for UK Journalists, was published. My second book Reed Hastings: Building Netflix, was published in March 2020. I created FOI Directory in 2012 and have maintained it in my spare time ever since.