Sir Keir Starmer has been warned that his plans to limit political journalists’ access to Downing Street spokesmen risk undermining “democratic accountability”.
The Prime Minister has been criticised over a decision to abolish the afternoon briefing from the new year, in a move journalists warned could damage scrutiny of the Government.
Downing St normally holds two briefings for political journalists on most days that Parliament is sitting.
The briefings allow the “lobby”, the group of political journalists that cover Westminster, an opportunity to question the Prime Minister’s official spokesman.
But earlier this week, No 10 also announced that the Prime Minister would also occasionally scrap the morning briefing in favour of a press conference or technical briefing, which would be open to “content creators” as well as political reporters.
The Society of Editors, whose members include editors of national and local papers as well as magazines, radio and television channels, has voiced concern over the move.
They said that “regular, open and robust” questioning of government is a “cornerstone of democratic accountability”.
Dawn Alford, the chief executive of the Society of Editors, said: “The afternoon lobby briefing has for many years provided journalists with a vital opportunity to challenge those in power and to seek clarity on fast-moving and often complex matters of public interest.
“It is deeply concerning that such a significant change has been announced without proper consultation with the journalists most affected. Transparency is not just about access in theory; it is about meaningful access in practice.
“Replacing routine, journalist-led questioning with government-controlled press conferences risks limiting who can ask questions, how long ministers are held to account, and which issues are addressed.
“Expanding attendance should not come at the expense of experienced political reporters being able to ask sustained, informed and challenging questions.”
In recent months, the Prime Minister’s spokesman has faced questions from political journalists at lobby briefings over issues such as the tax affairs of Angela Rayner and former US ambassador Lord Mandelson’s connection to the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Ms Rayner was forced to resign as Housing Secretary after the Telegraph revealed she had not paid the correct level of stamp duty on her second home.
And Lord Mandelson was forced to resign from his post as US Ambassador.
Tim Allan, Downing Street’s executive director of communications, said earlier this week that the media landscape had been “utterly transformed” in recent years, leaving the current arrangements “not fit for purpose”.
He said change was needed to “better serve journalists” and “better inform the public”, adding the new system would allow the lobby “more direct access to ministers and a greater ability to access information about Government policies”.
But David Hughes and Lizzy Buchan, the outgoing and incoming chairs of the lobby, said: “We are greatly concerned by this step and furious that the lobby was not consulted about this move which restricts access and, we fear, scrutiny.
“Downing Street has promised more ministerial press conferences but they will obviously control the timetable for those and will no doubt seek to choose who they take questions from.
“None of this bodes well for transparency from a government which came into office promising to raise standards.”
Meanwhile, Kemi Badenoch said a future Conservative administration would restore the afternoon briefings, saying: “Keir Starmer is running scared. This is a Labour Government that hates scrutiny and blames everyone else for its failings.”
