Michael Gove loses FOI battle over emails Education Secretary Michael Gove today lost the latest round in his freedom of information battle to keep details of emails from his personal account secret. Information Commissioner Christopher Graham ruled that the emails were covered by the Freedom of Information Act because the messages dealt with departmental business. He told the Department for Education either to release the information requested or issue a formal refusal notice setting out why it is being withheld. Reports last September suggested that Mr Gove had been using a private email account named "Mrs Blurt" rather than his departmental account to discuss government business with advisers. Mr Gove has been resisting the release of the information on the grounds that ministers' personal email accounts are not covered by the Act. A spokesman for Mr Graham's office said: "The Commissioner's decision is that the information amounted to departmental business and so was subject to freedom of information laws, being held on behalf of the Department for Education. The Department is now required either to disclose the requested information - the subject line of the email and the date and time it was sent - or issue a refusal notice in accordance with the FOI Act giving reasons for withholding it.