Post's legal challenge against Reform UK ban on reporters

WE SAY COUNTY LEADER'S DECISION BREACHES LOCAL GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS

- By OLIVER PRIDMORE

THE Nottingham Post and Nottinghamshire Live have launched a legal challenge against the decision by Reform UK's Nottinghamshire County Council leadership to ban our journalists.

The authority's leaders have until tomorrow to respond to the legal letter, which warns further steps may be taken if the council does not respond by reversing the ban.

The letter, sent to the county council by CMS LLP, sets out the position adopted by Reach Midlands Limited, the publisher of the Post and our website Nottinghamshire Live.

The letter, written in conjunction with our in-house legal team, sets out the belief that the decision to issue the ban was without legal basis “due to its irrationality”.

The letter also sets out the belief that the decision is in breach of local government regulations, Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights and Nottinghamshire County Council’s councillor code of conduct. A private meeting between two journalists and senior Reform politicians at the county council on Monday saw an element of the ban being lifted just over a month after it was introduced.

The three BBC-funded local democracy reporters will now be able to interact with the council and elected members normally.