LABOUR has denied investigative media outlet Declassified UK access to its annual conference, the site revealed today.
Declassified’s reporter John McEvoy will not be allowed into the ruling party’s gathering when it starts in Liverpool on Sunday after Labour officials declined to grant him a media pass.
The move comes weeks after Mr McEvoy exposed the influence of super-rich party donors and pro-Israel lobby groups over Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet.
UK director of Reporters Without Borders Fiona O’Brien said: “For democracy to function, journalists must be allowed to report on matters of public interest — which includes party conferences.
“It’s therefore alarming to hear that an accredited journalist has had his request for a pass to Labour’s conference denied, without a satisfactory explanation.
“If the new government is really committed to open democracy, it needs to guarantee fair and free access to the political process for a wide range of media, not just for the mainstream.”
Rejecting the pass, Labour told Mr McEvoy: “Media passes are for accredited journalists and photographers with a relevant portfolio only.”
The party later said: “Media passes are finite for Labour’s annual conference, and we have determined to uphold the original decision.”