You Gotta Fight for Your Right… To Information

Freedom of Information laws in the UK are 25 years old—but using them has never been tougher. In this panel discussion, Peter Geoghegan, Lucas Amin and Jenna Corderoy from Democracy for Sale share hard-won lessons from their award-winning investigations into government secrecy. You’ll hear how they’ve used FOI—and the courts—to prise open documents officials didn’t want you to see, and how working with lawyers has been key to forcing disclosure.

If you want to hold power to account and make FOIA work for you, this is your roadmap.

See also our course: Using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 1-2 with Jenna Corderoy – Fri 27 June.

26 June 2025 – You Gotta Fight for Your Right… To Information

15:50–16:50

Jenna Corderoy

Jenna Corderoy is an investigative reporter for Democracy for Sale, a newsletter dedicated to revealing how dark money and hidden influence threaten our democracy. She specialises in obtaining documents under the Freedom of Information Act, and has brought several successful FOIA challenges at tribunal.

Lucas Amin

Lucas Amin is an investigative journalist and cofounder of Democracy for Sale, the newsletter dedicated to revealing how dark money and hidden influence threaten our democracy. His work has been nominated for several press prizes and he was part of a team that won Campaign of the Year at the British Journalism Awards in 2022.

Peter Geoghegan

Peter Geoghegan edits Democracy for Sale, a newsletter dedicated to revealing how dark money and hidden influence threaten our democracy. Launched in 2023, Democracy for Sale has more than 25,000 subscribers and a team of three investigative reporters.

26 June 2025 15.50–16.50

Location: PHS 314

Class

Tools

All levels

Freedom of Information

27 June 2025

Using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 1-2

This two-part practical course will guide you through the basics of freedom of information legislation and equip you with the skills necessary to make successful information requests and appeals.

FOIA without the Lawyer

by Brendan Montague and Lucas Amin

The Freedom of Information Act is an excellent journalistic tool that offers access to information held by more than 100,000 public bodies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In FOIA without the Lawyer, the authors share the methodology they have developed while running The Request Initiative and making requests on behalf of charities, NGOs and campaigning groups.

£7 Buy Handbook

EIRs without the Lawyer

by Lucas Amin and Brendan Montague

Human beings depend on the environment for their survival. Industrialisation and development, for all their benefits, have led to the neglect, damage and destruction of the environment all over the world.

£5 Buy Handbook

DPA without the Lawyer

by Jenna Corderoy and Brendan Montague

The Journalists' Guide to making Subject Access Requests under the Data Protection Act 1988 To order, please complete the order form. This handbook is the third in the series on access to information instruments, and follows on from the Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) that were completed by Request Initiative for CIJ in previous years.

£6 Buy Handbook