Reform UK has come under fire from political opponents and press freedom groups after one of its councils cut ties with a local newspaper, just days before party leader Nigel Farage is due to speak to the US Congress about free speech.
Farage’s US Address
On Wednesday, Farage is set to testify before the House Judiciary Committee as part of an inquiry into “European threats to American free speech and innovation.” He is expected to criticise the UK’s new online safety law, which he argues restricts free expression.
Press Ban in Nottinghamshire
The controversy centres on Nottinghamshire County Council, which is controlled by Reform UK. Last week, the council announced it would no longer send press releases or provide official communication to the Nottingham Post or to BBC-funded local democracy reporters working in its offices.
Council leader Mick Barton confirmed the move, saying it would remain in place until the newspaper issued an apology for what he described as biased reporting. While Barton insisted that individual Reform councillors were not banned from speaking to journalists, he acknowledged that the council as a whole would not engage with the paper.
Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice defended the decision, saying the party supports free speech but would not cooperate with what he called “people who pretend to be media and act as activists.”
Reactions and Criticism
The ban has drawn sharp criticism. Liberal Democrat MP Max Wilkinson described it as “hypocrisy,” claiming Reform UK had “taken inspiration from Donald Trump.” Press freedom organisations, including Reporters Without Borders and Index on Censorship, condemned the move, calling it an attack on democratic values. Index on Censorship has reported the case to the Council of Europe’s Safety of Journalists Platform, which monitors threats to press freedom. The UK government will be required to respond to the alert within three months.
Natalie Fahy, editor of the Nottingham Post, said the council’s decision amounted to an attack on the free press, “a cornerstone of democracy.” Transparency International UK also criticised the move, likening it to “the Trump playbook” of excluding critical media.
Wider Pattern?
While most Reform-led councils are not adopting the same stance, similar rhetoric has surfaced elsewhere. In County Durham, council leader Andrew Husband accused the local media of employing “freelance activists” and warned that such figures would be “very unemployable” once Reform gained greater political power.
Political Context
The clash underscores the tension between Reform UK’s populist messaging on free expression and its approach to critical media at the local level. As Farage prepares to speak in Washington on defending free speech, critics argue that his party’s actions at home undermine the very principles he seeks to promote abroad.
