“When I came to Britain I was in awe of the British press, afraid of them. But they're not as ferocious as people think. In some instances they are, but when it comes to taking on power they're really deferential.”

British-American journalist and freedom of information campaigner

Heather Brooke is a British-American journalist and freedom of information campaigner based in the United Kingdom. She is best known for helping expose the 2009 expenses scandal in British politics. Brooke has lived in the UK since the 1990s and built her reputation through work on access to public information and accountability. Her role in the expenses revelations contributed to the resignation of Speaker of the House of Commons Michael Martin, the decision of many MPs not to stand again in the 2010 general election, and the jailing of several MPs.