The Reform UK leader of Nottinghamshire County Council has banned a local newspaper from speaking to him or any of his councillors “with immediate effect”.
Mick Barton has banned the Nottingham Post and its online arm Nottinghamshire Live over what the BBC understands was a disagreement about a story it ran on local government reorganisation.
Also included in the ban are BBC-funded journalists who work at the publication as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
Senior editor Natalie Fahy said she was “very concerned” by the “unprecedented ban”.
The authority will stop sending press releases to the publication, and Barton and his colleagues will not give interviews or invite them to council events.
Reporters from Nottinghamshire Live and the LDRS will continue to attend public meetings.
A spokesperson for the council said: “The ban, which will only be lifted for emergency scenarios like flooding and weather-related cases, incidents at council-run schools, adult social care, or public safety issues, has come into immediate effect.”
Nobody from Reform at the council was available for comment.
Reform took control of the authority at the local elections in May, winning 40 of 66 seats.
Barton, who has been a councillor on Mansfield District Council since 2003, was elected to the county council for the first time in May and later announced as leader.
Nottinghamshire Live editor Ms Fahy said those who applauded Reform’s decision “should think carefully”.
“We pride ourselves on our balanced and accurate coverage of all political parties across the county and our treatment and coverage of Reform has been no different to any other parties,” she said.
“We see this as a direct attack on the free press and our ability to hold elected members to account. Ultimately, we will struggle to find out where taxpayers’ money is being spent, so those who applaud this decision by Reform should think carefully.
“My concern as a journalist of 20 years is that we are increasingly seeing attacks of this kind which affect how we can carry out our jobs effectively. We’ll continue to speak out and fight against them in the hope of bringing about change.”
The Liberal Democrats have written to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, urging him to intervene.
Liberal Democrat culture, media and sport spokesperson, MP Max Wilkinson, called it a “dangerous and chilling” decision.
“Reform’s move to block local journalists from reporting on their work is straight out of Donald Trump’s playbook,” he added.
The leader of the opposition on Nottinghamshire County Council, Conservative Sam Smith, called the ban an “extremely dangerous step”.
He added: “It’s not just the press Reform are shutting out in Nottinghamshire. It’s the voice and views of residents.”
The BBC funds 165 LDRS reporters across the UK, three of which are funded in Nottingham.
A spokesperson for the BBC said: “Independent journalism is vital to local democracy, and journalists must be free to question those in power without fear of reprisals.
“We continue to support Notts Live in seeking a resolution.”
