The Silent State : Secrets, Surveillance and the Myth of British Democracy by Heather Brooke

The Silent State : Secrets, Surveillance and the Myth of British Democracy Reviews

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  ✨arrianne✨

  An introduction to the way the government works, and doesn’t. Through FOI requests, the author discovered the MPs’ expenses scandal and various other ways they want everything from us while just doing whatever they damn well please. Do not read if you don’t want to go all Guy Fawkes.
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  Amy

  Anyone who votes need to read this as working under a government department I can confirm that very little has changed in the 5 years since this publication. I went from shock to outrage to pure fury by the end of this investigative report from Heather Brooke (famous for helping expose the 2009 MP expenses scandal). The the public and their money are treated - by those who are meant to be there to help - is so wrong and filled with so much pointless bureaucracy (which those in the public sector poorly argue the important of) that I'm seriously debating my choices in the coming election even more seriously. Very much an eye opener for the average citizen (like myself)!
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  Godzilla

  This is one of those books which really makes you pause and question things.
  
  The term democracy is bandied around almost without thinking, but soem basic omissions and problems are laid very bare here.
  
  The tangle of bureaucracy and obstruction put in place beggars belief at times.
  
  There are fascinating insights into the workings of local govenrment, the justice system and of course the recent MPs expenses scandal.
  
  Very readable and very enlightening, but encouraging to see that some changes have already taken place.
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  Richard Ninnim

  as it is a few years old some of it may be a little outdated, however having said that it's still an interesting insight into how we are still being kept in the dark in a society where freedom of speech and information is only wording actual access to these is still so restricted it's untrue. Most of this some people already know, if you have ever tried to get information from any government body or during the last labour government was on a waiting list then you will know how so many facts and figures are massaged and manipulated. while waiting g for an operation I was put on a waiting list to go on the waiting list therefore it looked like I only waited 7 months when in fact I has waited 13 from seeing the doctor.
  a good read overall and will.open some people's eyes to the kind of country we live in.
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  Patrick von Stutenzee

  Whereas Guy Fawkes failed to blow up parliament, a woman succeeded in doing so if virtually. Heather Brooke is the journalist who had the unprecedented cheek to question the expenses of MPs (that's member of parliament). By doing this, she managed to blow up 649 fraudsters in the Commons including all cabinet ministers and the complete shadow government as well as several hundred in the Lords. Good show.
  
  
  Read the full review
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  Ricardo Lopes Moura

  Investigação jornalística que aponta os principais podres de um Estado britânico que se esconde por trás do secretismo da sua burocracia, relações públicas e de um conjunto de regras para os cidadãos e outro para os funcionários públicos, que veem os primeiros como inimigos.
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  Paul Fadoju

  After reading the book I can imagine the politicians so happy to have the upper hand on Murdoch's empire. Heather Brooke gives a clear, detailed and concise information about how ignorant we all are to the behemoth power of the state. A book recommended to all, though most of us are working for the state.
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  Jo Kelly

  Absolutely great read. The insight into cracking MPs expenses is fantastic.
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  Anwen Garston

  An important book that we should all read.
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  Imaan Iddir

  Good. Interesting. Read it.
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  Jón Ólafsson

  Some of the stories are interesting, but the analysis is not very sharp.