Abstract
Since the question of whether or not the Crossman diaries may be published in full in Britain was still sub judice at the time of going to press, the following article does not attempt to deal with the legal aspects of the court case on the subject, Attorney General v. Jonathan Cape Ltd and Attorney General v. Times Newspapers Ltd (July 1975). Instead the author discusses the constitutional and political background and considers the larger issues raised by the doctrine of cabinet confidentiality. (For information about the facts of the case, see Index no.2, 1975, p.82 and Index Index elsewhere in this number.)