Is the coalition serious about “open-book government”?: can it really be a citizen-powered substitute for top down, central controls?

The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition came into power promising greater transparency in its spending, especially in the wake of the 2009 expenses scandal, and greater decentralization to local government. Eric Pickles the Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government today released details of all CLG’s expenditures valued at £500 or over – foreshadowing a legal requirement on all English local councils to do the same thing by November this year. LSE Professor Patrick Dunleavy was interviewed this morning on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Morning Reports programme. The interviewer began by asking Professor Dunleavy about his reaction to the news that CLG spent £635,000 on taxis and chauffer-driven cars last year, and the nearly £310,000 on catering and food. How did he react?