The Tories have been accused of blocking the release of thousands of controversial government files that were due to be made public, including documents on Princess Diana and The Troubles.
Government officials applied to prevent the publication of more than 7,000 documents by the National Archives this year.
Files on the 1988 Lockerbie terrorist bombing, an MI5 so-called ‘link’ to the murder of a Belfast solicitor and Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s marriage are among some of the records withheld.
The files were set to be released under the 20-year rule, but government departments can request files remain under wraps if they feel they could endanger the UK’s security or its foreign relations.
The Advisory Council on National Records and Archives, said there had been a “significant increase” in requests this year.
In its report, it criticised Whitehall mandarins after applications were made to withhold 7,406 documents.
The report said: “The most common exemptions claimed concern damage to international relations and risks to the health or safety of individuals.
There have been instances when Departments have been slow to respond to queries raised by the Council, or have withdrawn applications only after repeated challenge from the Council.”
Jon Trickett, the shadow Cabinet Office minister told The Times:
“You appear to have one Tory government trying to cover up and suppressing information about a previous Tory government. We need to know exactly the reason for such a dramatic rise in documents being withheld and stashed away in this manner at requests of departments. It seems completely disproportionate.”
Whitehall departments blocked the release of 5,974 files – compared with 4,290 in 2016/17.
A further 1,432 retention applications were made, with these documents not given a release date, they may never be released to the public eye.
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