This content was published on May 27, 2023 – 23:02
London, May 28 (EFE). – The British and foreign press in the United Kingdom condemned, this Sunday, the accusation of the ruling Conservative Party with fees to cover the expenses of the annual conference, considering that access to information should be free in a democratic society. .
A coalition made up of the News Media Association (NMA), the News Media Alliance (NMC), the Editors’ Association and the Foreign Press Association (FPA), which brings together non-British media, including Agencia EFE, requests in a statement to form Rishi Sunak that abolishes Fees of at least 137 pounds (about 160 euros) were introduced last year.
The four organizations explained in the memo that the “disrupted talks” they were holding to reach an agreement with the conservative leadership, which says payment is needed to make up for processing credits for journalists who subsequently fail to show up. .
Pending resolution, many media outlets have decided not to register for the time being for the 2023 Conservative Party Conference, which is scheduled to take place from 1st to 4th October in Manchester (Northern England).
In their statement, the press organizations say that they tried in vain to present “alternatives” in the face of the anxiety that prompted the party to accuse them of recognizing, a decision they consider “undemocratic and harmful” to the interests of society and the formation itself.
They declare: “In a democratic society, caucuses are of great political and public importance, and therefore, there should be no barrier of fees so that journalists can act as the eyes and ears of the public, and report freely on those events.”
A Conservative Party spokesperson, for its part, said the fee was introduced in 2022 to “discourage over-reliance by some media outlets”.
According to this source, at a previous conference, “thousands of people who applied for Free Press accreditation did not receive their permits, resulting in large amounts of paper and plastic waste,” as well as additional spending on police checks.
The Media Coalition objects in its note that “no show” is a factor in all noteworthy events, “often due to last-minute changes in news agendas,” and laments that the conservatives have not thought through their proposals to resolve it. EFE
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