Journalists and Media Workers: Safety and Security

Lord Black of Brentwood Excerpts

Thursday 24th April 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Black of Brentwood (Con)]

My Lords, I declare my interest as deputy chairman of Telegraph Media Group and patron of the Rory Peck Trust, a charity which does exceptional work in helping freelance journalists in difficulty in hostile environments. Last year it supported more than 500 of them from 30 countries with everything from safety training to emergency medical equipment.

This subject is more important than ever as the world is increasingly unsafe for journalists and photographers. As the United States—for generations the advocate of last resort for media freedom—withdraws from its historic mission to defend free speech, new champions here in Europe are needed.

There are three immediate priorities. First, it is time to put in place an emergency visa scheme for journalists. Most reporters do not want to leave their home countries, but some have no choice but to do so to flee death or imprisonment. In such extreme cases, the window to safely exit their home is often very narrow—sometimes a matter of hours. We should join Canada, Germany, Spain and many others in putting in place safe mechanisms to help those in the greatest danger to find refuge, continue their important work and return home when it is safe. The numbers are small—perhaps 100 a year—but the signal it sends that the UK is a safe haven for those risking their lives to bring us the news is huge. Will the Minister please look at this issue?

Secondly, we must understand that here in the UK the level of intimidation of journalists, even for those on local newspapers, is intense and growing. I was told recently of a young, female journalist working for a National World local title who was subject to an abhorrent spate of email abuse and threats, in which she was told she would be sexually assaulted and killed. Fake pornographic images depicting her were circulated to her email contacts. Such examples are now tragically commonplace. Online safety laws must be implemented with rigour, not weakened in a futile act of obeisance to President Trump.

Finally, one of the most important things we can do to protect journalists in the UK is to bring in a comprehensive anti-SLAPP law. SLAPPs are used to bully and intimidate journalists seeking to uncover the truth and expose the corrupt. They are a totally unacceptable infringement on free speech deployed to coerce reporters. If we truly value journalistic safety and investigative journalism they must go.