The volume deals with vital issues on freedom of expression and freedom of information and emphasizes the importance of the free exchange and dissemination of ideas and of open, and therefore more accountable, government. It notes the ways in which these freedoms have received recent legislative attention in the Human Rights Act 1998, the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Bill. Articles on subjects such as freedom of speech, religion, and assembly; defamation of the state and of politicians; harassment, official secrecy, public interest disclosure, and the protection of privacy; focus on issues of political and legal importance to all who take an interest in how their country is governed. These matters are addressed here by leading judges, practitioners, and scholars from the UK, the USA, Australia and New Zealand. They provide timely and authoritative analysis as well as comparisons between British protections of these freedoms and the safeguards offered by other Commonwealth states, the USA, the EU and under the European Convention on Human Rights. This book will be of interest to academic and practising lawyers, government officials, and academics working in departments of politics and government.

: a stimulating collection of essays which will be valued by anyone interested in public law ... There is a diversity of topics and expressions of view sufficient to attract readers from many different standpoints ... confidently recommended to a wider readership * Law Quarterly Review 1 July 2001 *
The contributors and the editors are to be congratulated on the part they have played in the publication which is confidentlyrecommended to a wider readership.
A very well thought out and highly instructive book. * Commonwealth Lawyer, April 2001 *
The work is well-footnoted and indexed, with a good table of cases and legislation, and, as is usual with the Oxford University Press, it is well presented - a veritable dish of delights...a stimulating and readable collection of essays ... anyone interested in the areas of freedom of expression and information will find dipping into this collection rewarding. * Howard Johnson Communications Law Vol. 6 No. 1 2001 *
The book pulls together a distinguished collection of judges, practitioners and scholars from the UK, US, Australia and New Zealand. * Gazette *

Jack Beatson is Professor of Law and Director of the Centre for Public Law at the University of Cambridge Yvonne Cripps is a Barrister of the Inner Temple and Senior Fellow of the Centre for Public Law, University of Cambridge. She holds the Harry T. Ice Chair of Law at Indiana University