An investigative journalist has been denied a press pass for the event today
Reform UK has been accused of “censorship” and “free speech hypocrisy” after it once again blocked a journalist from reporting on one of their events.
Will Hayward, an investigative journalist, revealed that Reform has blocked him from attending the party’s manifesto launch in Wales today.
Hayward said that he had attended Plaid Cymru’s Senedd campaign launch last weekend, as well as the Welsh Labour and Welsh Conservatives’ launches this week.
However, he said Reform did not give him press accreditation to attend their event, which he said was “really concerning”, as a “key pillar in a democracy is that journalists can scrutinise those who are seeking power”.
He added that “Banning journalists is very Donald Trump”.
The Welsh Lib Dems said that the decision exposes Reform’s claims to support free speech as completely hollow and raises serious concerns about how the party treats scrutiny and democratic accountability.
This isn’t the first time that Reform has barred journalists from attending its events. In September 2024, Reform banned Byline Times, Desmog and former Observer journalist Carole Cadwalladr from attending its annual party conference.
In Nottinghamshire, Mick Barton, leader of the Reform-led council said its journalists would no longer engage with Nottinghamshire Live and its sister paper the Nottingham Post.
Barton was later forced to reverse the ban.
Last month, Zia Yusuf and Richard Tice threatened to strip Bangor University of its funding if it won power, after a student debating society refused to allow Reform MP Sarah Pochin to address students.
Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said: “Reform love to posture as defenders of free speech, but the moment a journalist might ask difficult questions, they resort to censorship. It’s not free speech if you only allow those that agree with you to talk, ask questions or take part.
“Just weeks ago, they were threatening to ‘defund’ Bangor University in the name of ‘free speech’, yet now they are blocking journalists from attending their own manifesto launch. That is staggering hypocrisy.
“This isn’t about free speech at all, it’s about control. Reform wants the freedom to say whatever they like without being challenged, while trying to silence anyone who might hold them to account.
“If Reform is already trying to shut down scrutiny while they are still in opposition, people should be very worried about how they would behave if they ever gained real power.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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