The Zircon affair

The Zircon was a spy satellite whose existence had been kept quiet by the Thatcher government.

A BBC documentary series called "Secret Society" was produced in 1986 which, among other things, revealed the existence of the satellite program. There was a clear public interest in douing so, as it had been hidden not just from the people but also from Parliament.

The Thatcher government forced the sacking of the Director General and raided the BBC's offices.

As Chomsky points out, this clearly highlights the fragility of freedom of speech in the UK.

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A good bit of background is available here, but take this website with a pinch of salt

An excellent page offers for sale "Secret Society" and several other groundbreaking documentaries here and is well worth a look. (NB Tony Gosling, secretary of NUJ in Bristol is based in Montpelier)