Key facts
- Reform UK denied press accreditation to journalists Anna Isaac, Peter Geoghegan, and Michael Crick for its annual conference.
- The party's decisions on press passes were contradictory, involving initial rejections, reinstatements, and final rejections.
- Reform UK cited administrative errors for the contradictory decisions regarding press accreditation.
- Journalists Isaac, Geoghegan, and Crick have previously published critical reporting on Reform UK and Nigel Farage.
- The NUJ and The Guardian have criticized the party's actions, highlighting concerns about media freedom.
Reform UK has denied accreditation to journalists who have published critical reporting on the party and its leader, Nigel Farage, ahead of its annual conference. The Guardian's city editor, Anna Isaac, investigative reporter Peter Geoghegan, and broadcaster Michael Crick were initially informed their credentials had been declined. Following inquiries from The Guardian, the three journalists received emails stating their passes had been reinstated. However, Reform UK later issued a statement calling this an administrative error and confirming their exclusion from the event. A party spokesperson stated that Geoghegan and Crick were considered minor figures and declined to comment on Isaac's specific case, though they noted she could watch a livestream. Isaac's reporting previously revealed an undeclared £5m gift to Farage and transactions that led to potential money-laundering concerns being reported to the National Crime Agency. Geoghegan's recent work exposed alleged negative comments made by a pro-Reform journalist about a party donor. Crick, who is a biographer of Farage, has published unflattering details about him. The NUJ and The Guardian have condemned the ban, highlighting the importance of media freedom and accountability.