The Nottingham Post and Nottinghamshire Live have launched legal action against Nottinghamshire County Council after being barred from speaking to the council's leader and removed from media mailing lists. The Reform UK-led council imposed the ban following a story about internal splits over local government reorganisation plans.
The publisher, Reach Midlands Media, argues the ban breaches Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects freedom of expression. It also claims the move violates local government regulations and the council's own code of conduct. The council has until Thursday to respond to a legal letter warning of further steps if the ban is not fully reversed.
While the ban has been partially lifted for BBC-funded local democracy reporters managed by the paper, it remains in place for other Nottinghamshire Live journalists. The company says it has been denied interviews with council leader Mick Barton, who took exception to the original story.
The dispute has drawn widespread criticism, including from Liberal Democrat MP Max Wilkinson, who accused Reform of using 'Trumpian tactics' to stifle scrutiny. The issue was even raised in US Congress during a committee hearing on free speech, where Reform leader Nigel Farage was confronted over the ban.
