Brexit campaigners are taking the Government to court over its refusal to release secret studies it has conducted on the impact of Brexit on Britainās economy. Ministers have confirmed the existence of more than 50 intensive analyses, but are keeping them under Whitehall lock-and-key ā apparently for fear they could embarrass the Government. Ministers say releasing the studies would āwould undermine the Governmentās ability to negotiate the best deal for Britainā, but the Good Law Project is crowdfunding Ā£56,000 to launch a legal challenge in the hope a judge will order their release.
The Government, which says it will publish a list of topics covered (but not the studies themselves), has already refused a series of freedom of information requests to release the studies, on the grounds that they relate to Britainās dealings with other countries. After just hours online yesterday morning, the project had already raised over half of its total, with Ā£30,000 pledged from over 1,000 separate individuals. The group has already written a letter to the Department for Leaving the EU, and the Treasury: the first formal step in the judicial review process. If no action is taken, then they will seek permission from a court. Source: The Independent