Starmer calls Reform council's press ban 'cowardly'

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the move went against the notion of free speech

Sir Keir Starmer says it is "cowardly" that the Reform UK leader of Nottinghamshire County Council is still refusing to give interviews to a local newspaper.

Mick Barton has not spoken to journalists from the Nottingham Post and its online arm, Nottinghamshire Live, since August after accusing the paper of "consistently misrepresenting our policies, actions or intentions".

On Thursday, the prime minister told the BBC the decision was "the complete opposite of free speech" and lacked "basic accountability".

Barton has been approached for comment.

Mick Barton's position has been criticised by opposition councillors

The council leader announced in August the newspaper would no longer be allowed to speak to him or his councillors.

According to the Post, an article written by its agenda editor Oliver Pridmore prompted the ban.

However, a few days later, Barton clarified the ban only related to himself.

A planned debate on a motion supporting press freedom, tabled by a Broxtowe Alliance councillor, failed to take place last week after a full council meeting ran out of time.

Barton said it was "not a problem", and the motion could be debated at a future meeting.

Asked whether he agreed with a suggestion by the Liberal Democrats that Reform's strategy had been inspired by Donald Trump, Starmer declined to criticise the US president.

"Reform have got to take responsibility for their own actions. It's them that, on the one hand, pretend that they're champions of free speech and accountability," he said.

"On the other hand, don't have the courage to actually talk to local representatives who would actually hold them to account. So let me call that out fair and square. They're cowards."

Electrification plans

Starmer's comments came in a wide-ranging interview ahead of the Labour Party conference.

He insisted the government still intends to upgrade the principal rail route through the East Midlands, despite putting the project on hold in July.

Starmer said "we do have plans" to electrify the Midland Mainline north of South Wigston in Leicestershire.

East Midlands council leaders reacted with dismay when the scheme was indefinitely paused.

The prime minister acknowledged the line was "hugely important" and "we need to get on with it as quickly as possible".

"We've got to get it right," he added. "We've got to get the timing right, but we're committed to doing it."

People in Derby have been given until Monday to remove their flags

Asked about St George's flags appearing on lamp-posts, bridges and roundabouts across the region, he said: "I'm all in favour of people flying our flag."

It comes as Derby City Council revealed plans to remove flags from its public spaces, and one councillor told the BBC she had received threats of rape and violence as a result.

Starmer said he did not know the particular case, but stressed the use of flags to "divide" was a "clear red line".

'Sort it out'

The prime minister also admitted the government might have to decide where new, bigger councils should be, if agreements cannot be reached locally.

There has been a huge row over the idea of the cities of Leicester and Nottingham merging with surrounding areas.

Ministers have given councils until the end of November to submit final proposals, but in many cases they are struggling to reach a consensus.

Starmer said he "hoped" local authorities could "sort it out", as it was better for "communities to decide for themselves where the boundaries should be".

But "if necessary", he added, "then obviously we'd have to look at other options".

Asked whether the changes were diverting time and attention away from councils' day-to-day work, he stressed that "none of this should" distract from the delivery of services.