The British government held back documents related to the creation of the European Union from a trove of files from 1992 due to be released Friday at the National Archives, according to media reports.
Out of 495 files from the prime minister’s office that year, 114 were held back, Bloomberg reported. Of those not released, 12 files are related to European policies.
Another 26 files covering the EU were sent to the archives too late and journalists could not read them before publication, according to Bloomberg.
The Cabinet Office told Bloomberg that “there is no question that any files are deliberately ‘withheld’ from the media.” The office added that “we have to ensure all files are properly reviewed and prepared before they are transferred, so that they do not harm national security or our relations with other countries or disclose the sensitive personal data of living individuals.”
Labour party politician Jon Trickett said the documents not being released was “profoundly shocking, particularly given the current state of the national debate.”
According to the Independent, it is not unusual for the government to withhold some files in its biannual disclosures, but some have criticized the timing amid ongoing Brexit discussions as Theresa May is set to begin the second phase of negotiations with the EU.
“The Conservatives have form on unnecessarily holding back documents related to Europe so that they avoid public scrutiny,” Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable told the Independent. “This looks suspicious, as if they are trying to hide information that could be embarrassing during the Brexit negotiations.”