THE Oxford Mail has devoted 15 pages of today’s edition to the campaign to preserve the Freedom of Information Act.

Backed by many other organisations including the Society of Editors, which launched its Hands Off FoI campaign earlier this year in association with journalism websites HoldtheFrontPage and Press Gazette, the Mail has highlighted the many Oxfordshire stories brought to light by use of FoI.

Since it came into effect in 2005, we have published countless stories based on information that we would not have been able to get without the rights granted by this act. 

The Government is currently reviewing the FOI Act with a view to restricting its powers, after a growing number of public figures have criticised it.

Most recently Conservative MP Chris Grayling said journalists were "misusing" the act by using it to create stories.

We don't think that is right.

So we have trawled through our archives and dug out the most important stories we have run which were only possible through the act.

We have gone back to the most important people in those stories to ask them whether it was worth it; we have asked all of Oxfordshire's MPs what they think about proposed restrictions to the act (some of whom got back to us), and we have explained in detail how you can make your own FOI request to any taxpayer-funded body.

We feel this is an important enough issue about the integrity of national and local Government to devote an entire paper to it; we hope you agree.

Freedom of Information: What you need to know 

Sign the petition here