Declassified UK's journalists banned from Labour conference once again

Labour MP John McDonnell says ‘Trump-like’ ban shows ‘Starmer’s Labour Together crew are still in charge’ of party's bureaucracy

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JOURNALISTS from Declassified UK have been banned from the Labour Party conference for a third year in a row.

Three reporters from the online publication were denied media passes for the event in Liverpool next week, the first under the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

The rejection email said the party held the right to refuse an application “if we cannot find any evidence the applicant is a working journalist or photographer with a political portfolio or working on behalf of a relevant media outlet.”

The ban comes despite all staff journalists being accredited with the National Union of Journalists (NUJ).

Declassified said emails requesting an appeal of the decision or a refund of the £420 in entry fees have so far gone unanswered.

NUJ general secretary Laura Davidson called on Labour to rethink its decision, saying: “Journalists must be able to report on and question political parties — especially those who are in power.

“Political parties must demonstrate their commitment to press freedom, freedom of expression and the public’s right to be informed.”

Labour MP John McDonnell said the “Trump-like” banning was a “demonstration that, at the heart of the Labour Party bureaucracy, [former leader Sir Keir] Starmer’s Labour Together crew are still in charge.

“Andy Burnham and Labour’s new general secretary will need to launch a radical reorganisation of this bureaucracy before they undermine him as they have past leaders.”

Liverpool Riverside MP Kim Johnson added: “I genuinely thought the new regime would represent a change from the Starmer-era tricks of trying to control the message and manage the media to duck accountability.

“If this is what change looks like, it is looking an awful lot like more of the same.”

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