Reform UK in war of words with local newspaper

LocalPolitics
28 Aug 2025 • 6:30 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • Reform UK's administration at Nottinghamshire County Council has been accused of a "massive attack on local democracy" after banning its councillors from engaging with the Nottingham Post newspaper.
  • The ban extends to the Nottingham Post and BBC-funded local democracy journalists managed by the paper, with councillors instructed not to speak to them and press officers to remove them from media lists.
  • Nottingham Post editor Natalie Fahy stated the move is a "worrying sign of potentially things to come if Reform wins the next election," highlighting concerns about the shutting down of questioning.
  • The Liberal Democrats criticised the decision as being "straight out of Donald Trump's playbook" and urged Nigel Farage to intervene, while Labour accused Reform of "rank hypocrisy."
  • The ban reportedly followed a viral interview clip of a local councillor and a story published by the Nottingham Post concerning internal disagreements within Reform's council group.

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