Politics
Reform UK refuses conference press passes to three critical journalists
The party excluded reporters from The Guardian, Substack, and broadcasting ahead of its annual gathering in Birmingham.
The short version
- Reform UK denied conference media credentials to Guardian city editor Anna Isaac, investigative writer Peter Geoghegan, and broadcaster Michael Crick.
- All three journalists have previously published critical reporting or commentary regarding Reform UK and party leader Nigel Farage.
- The party claimed Geoghegan and Crick did not meet eligibility criteria, while declining to give a specific reason for barring Isaac.
- Media rights representatives and The Guardian condemned the exclusions as a concerning challenge to press scrutiny.
Key facts
- Reform UK declined press credentials for its annual conference at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham for Anna Isaac, Peter Geoghegan, and Michael Crick.[The Guardian]
- The party briefly sent emails indicating the passes were reinstated before calling the messages an administrative error and confirming the bans.[The Guardian]
- A Reform UK spokesperson stated the party approved 950 of roughly 1,000 media applications, arguing Crick's university role and Geoghegan's Substack work did not qualify for accreditation.[The Guardian]
- The party declined to provide a reason for excluding Isaac, who previously broke stories on undeclared funds received by Farage, offering her access via public livestream instead.[The Guardian]
What remains uncertain
- Reform UK has not publicly provided a specific justification for denying credentials to Isaac while accepting the rest of The Guardian's lobby team.[The Guardian]
Sources
- Reform UK bans three journalists who have criticised party from its conferenceThe Guardian - World