Media Freedom Coalition
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
To ask His Majesty’s Government what their priorities are for strengthening the work of the Media Freedom Coalition during their term as co-chair.
The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Baroness Chapman of Darlington) (Lab)
My Lords, the Government recognise the need for a strong collective voice for countries committed to free media, especially in today’s fragmented world. The Media Freedom Coalition provides that voice. The UK will raise its profile and expand its reach as a truly global partnership. We will foster exchange of expertise and drive timely, effective advocacy. We will explore viable ways to support public interest media, to navigate the opportunities and risks that stem from AI and other new technologies, and address the challenges faced by women journalists.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Con)
My Lords, in extending the reach of the work of the Media Freedom Coalition, of which the Government are co-chair, what progress do Ministers expect to make with regard to securing the safety of journalists who are working in conflict-torn Sudan and also the Iranian journalists who are in exile, some of them in this country, who face threats to their lives every day?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
There are many examples that the noble Baroness could have selected, but those two are particularly pertinent at this time. Clearly, we do everything we can that is necessary to keep journalists safe in this country—that is a commitment that I do not think any Government of this country would ever shy away from. In Sudan, the situation is incredibly precarious. We work alongside our allies and partners on the ground to try and make sure that journalists there can do their jobs safely, because we are getting far too little information out of the country about what is happening. It is a very difficult situation, as the noble Baroness knows. We could equally talk about Gaza, or many other contexts, where we are having similar challenges. That ability to report freely is absolutely essential, in terms of us knowing what is happening but also holding those responsible to account.
Lord Watts (Lab)
My Lords, is it not the case that right-wing ownership of newspapers is one of our biggest threats, not just in this country but across Europe? Do we not need to make sure that we do not let more of our media outlets be controlled by right-wing zealots?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
My noble friend puts his position across forcefully and clearly, as ever. My concern is with the Media Freedom Coalition and to make sure that the UK plays the fullest part it can in its role as co-chair. This is a vital international mechanism, and we intend to use it for good.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con)
My Lords, as I am sure the Minister will recognise, the previous Government—indeed, I was the Minister responsible—set up the Media Freedom Coalition. It currently stands at 51 members, and I hope that as the UK now assumes the co-chair, since we have not seen an increase in numbers, there will be a focus on increasing those. Secondly, can the Minister give the assurance that the money that is provided for both protecting and sustaining support for journalists, both in cases they have to fight and also in the protection they need, will be safeguarded?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
I absolutely commend the noble Lord for the work he has done. It was in 2019 that this was set up, so it has gone from strength to strength. His point about expanding membership is really important. One of the things we seek to do, using the leadership we can provide, is to expand that membership, particularly into global South voices, because this needs to be a truly global effort.
Lord Bruce of Bennachie (LD)
My Lords, we all need to value the bravery and independence of journalists who operate in really difficult situations and who need the support of the coalition and Governments. What will the Government do to raise the UK’s position on the media index from 10, and on the international one from 23? Given the US is a member of this organisation, how can they square legal action against the BBC that, if successful, would destroy the BBC, the BBC World Service and BBC Media Action? Will the Government ask the United States Government to recognise that?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
Obviously, what the United States Government choose to do is a matter for the United States Government. On the World Service, I am very pleased that last Thursday we were able to announce an uplift in our grant funding to the World Service of an additional 12%, even in the straitened fiscal circumstances in which we had to make that choice. It does vital work and I would not want to see anything jeopardise it.
Lord Young of Acton (Con)
My Lords, I declare my interest as a director at the Free Speech Union. In January, I pulled together a letter signed by about two dozen Peers, including two former national newspaper editors and the chairman of IPSO, asking the Secretary of State at DSIT when the free speech safeguards in the Online Safety Act are likely to be activated, given that it is now three years old. One of those safeguards is additional protections for journalistic content. I wonder if the Minister could let us know when we are likely to get a reply.
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
I am very happy to take that up with my right honourable friend the Secretary of State at DSIT. I am sure she would be fascinated and interested in the points that the noble Lord raises and will wish to provide a response as soon as she can.
Viscount Chandos (Lab)
My Lords, I declare my interest as chair of the Thomson Foundation. The Government have understandably prioritised work in this area in Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon and Sudan. Does my noble friend the Minister agree that it is important that funding continues to be made available in other countries where the work may be more preventative and less reactive?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
Just to make clear, the protected geographies that have just been described are for our official development assistance generally; our work on media freedom, though, goes much more widely—in a far greater list of countries, such as Mexico, the Philippines and Bangladesh. The noble Viscount can be assured that that will continue. Wherever we find an issue that needs to be addressed to do with media freedom, we will act.
Baroness Boycott (CB)
My Lords, what is being done in particular to protect women journalists in the field? Probably many will agree with me that women tend to find the personal interest story more than the story about the guns and the manoeuvres, and that is absolutely vital when you are reporting. I would like to bring to the Minister’s attention the Marie Colvin network that was set up after the tragic death of Marie Colvin, in fact by the sister of my noble friend the Duke of Wellington. We provide aid to women, mostly in the Middle East, in terms of support and contacts and not being alone out in the field. Networks like this are absolutely vital. Is there any way that the organisation could look at things like that in other areas?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
The noble Baroness is absolutely right to draw our attention to that. One of the key themes that we want to use our leadership to do is to address exactly those issues around women journalists: women journalists and the persecution that they face—online as well these days—and also, too often, the experience of journalists working in newsrooms, which can present additional challenges, if I can put it that way. We want to use our position on the Media Freedom Coalition to address, in particular, those issues that face women.
Lord Callanan (Con)
My Lords, I welcome the efforts that my noble friend Lord Ahmad made in setting up the Media Freedom Coalition, which is, as the noble Baroness said, an excellent organisation. As she mentioned in her opening remarks, there are many countries and cases that we could raise, but one particular well-known journalist in prison, of course, is Jimmy Lai. I know the Government are doing all they can to raise his case. The last statement of the media coalition on that issue was in 2023. Could the UK use its co-chairmanship to continue to raise that with the Chinese authorities?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
I am sure that that will be the case. As we have said many times—I know that we all agree with this, but it is worth repeating—Jimmy Lai should not be imprisoned and should be released immediately.
Lord Scriven (LD)
My Lords, if the Government are going to use their position as chair of the coalition, what action will they take with regards to members who potentially break the founding pledge? Two members in particular—Serbia is one—have done things potentially in breach of that pledge. What action will the Government take to ensure that, if you are in the club, you have to abide by the rules of the club?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
Welcome to multilateralism—it does throw up these issues from time to time. Personally, I take the view that being in the club gives you a greater chance of being able to exert influence and have those very direct conversations face to face rather than less directly. But each case should be taken on its merits, and the decisions on any such issues must be taken collectively.