Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has said if reporters “act as activists” then “maybe we don’t have to talk to them”, after one of its council leaders appeared to ban councillors from speaking to journalists at a local newspaper.
Mick Barton, the Reform UK leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, claimed that Nottinghamshire Live, which is the online edition of the Nottingham Post, was spinning his comments.
The news website reported that Nottinghamshire County Council’s press office had confirmed on multiple occasions to several media outlets that Reform UK councillors had been banned from speaking to its journalists.
However, following a council meeting on Tuesday, Mr Barton told the BBC the ban only applied to him and not other councillors from his party, but he confirmed the authority would still not send press releases to the publication.
“We haven’t got a problem, I’ve not got a problem. I’m being professional and I hope the Notts Post become professional,” he told the broadcaster.
“The ban still stands until they come and apologise. They need to pick the phone up and speak to me.”
He added that he “never stopped” councillors from speaking to Nottinghamshire Live reporters.
“I’m the leader, I don’t control their lives,” he continued. “If a media person wants to speak to anybody in my group, I can’t control that and I wouldn’t want to control it.”
Nottinghamshire Live has reported that Reform UK councillors are no longer barred from speaking to its reporters, and that it understands Mr Barton has denied that part of the ban was ever true.
It said the councillor has clarified that he will still not speak to its journalists and the press releases ban remains in place, as does a prohibition on inviting the outlet to events.
The council has been approached for comment.
Also on Tuesday, BBC Radio Bristol asked Mr Tice if he believes in free speech and “being challenged” in light of the council’s Nottinghamshire Live decision.
Mr Tice responded: “Yes, absolutely, and at press conferences we take more questions from the press – I took 15 questions yesterday, I do more media rounds probably than most other politicians.
“But there’s a difference between the media and people who pretend to be media and act as activists, and that’s where we draw the line, and that’s a judgment that has been made in Nottinghamshire.”
He added: “I’m sure they’ll sort it out. But also, you know, freedom of speech means that if someone acts as an activist, then actually maybe we don’t have to talk to them – we’re talking to lots of other people, we enjoy scrutiny and accountability.”
Liberal Democrats denounced the council as a “bad Vance tribute band” and called on Nigel Farage to expel Mr Barton.
The party also requested the Culture, Media and Sport Committee launch an inquiry into the ban and bring the Reform UK leader in to give evidence to Parliament.
Mr Farage is expected to visit the US to testify on free speech before Congress on Wednesday.
Following Mr Barton’s statement that he requires an apology to resolve the issue, Max Wilkinson, the Lib Dem’s spokesman for Culture, Media and Sport, said: “Reform’s gang of councillors are acting like a bad JD Vance tribute band.
“Politicians demanding that those on the side of democracy grovel and apologise without reason — we saw and condemned that behaviour in Trump’s Oval Office. It’s horrendous to see it happening in Britain.”
The MP for Cheltenham added: “As a former local journalist I’m appalled to see Reform’s disregard for basic transparency.
“Farage must step in and expel Barton from Reform immediately. He is not fit to grace public office.”
The council’s decision was previously criticised by Chris Morley, the senior organiser for the North and Midlands at the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), who said: “If reporters are barred from interviewing key councillors about those decisions, it risks creating a vacuum of democracy.”
Natalie Fahy, the editor of Nottinghamshire Live, said in an article on the website: “Reform UK makes huge noises about respecting free speech, transparency, honesty and being straight-talking.
“This boycott flies in the face of all of that. When the press is not welcome, you know democracy itself is in danger.”
