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Lord Forsyth of Drumlean Excerpts

Wednesday 5th March 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

My noble friend makes a really valid point. Yesterday we spoke about Gaza and the horrendous number of journalists and media workers who have died in the course of that conflict. My noble friend referred to the riots in the wake of the attack in Southport. Even in this country, the harassment of journalists reporting generally, but specifically reporting on those public order events, is completely unacceptable and incompatible with a healthy and functioning democracy. We need a situation in which journalists can operate without fear of abuse, threats or intimidation. The Government are committed to defending the role of a free media and the safety of journalists, and we continue to work on these important issues, including by delivering our national action plan for the safety of journalists, working with criminal justice, civil society and media partners.

[Lord Forsyth of Drumlean (Con)]

My Lords, given that the Secretary of State is acting in a quasi-judicial capacity, which I quite understand, will the Minister or one of her colleagues perhaps endeavour to send a quasi-judicial message to the Secretary of State that she needs to get on with this and might want to involve the Competition and Markets Authority in bringing it to a conclusion?