Media shuns Tory party conference over demands for attendance fee

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It looks as if there will be empty seats in the rows usually reserved for members of the press at the annual Conservative party conference in Manchester this autumn, with media organisations across the political spectrum refusing to pay recently imposed fees.

No other British political party charges for press accreditation, but last year a fee was introduced by the Conservative party. This summer the charge of £137 for each journalist's application is being challenged by a broad coalition of newsrooms, on the basis that paying for media access sets a bad and undemocratic precedent.

The new price tag on reporting the internal political debates of the ruling party has concerned a variety of industry bodies, including the News Media Association, Society of Editors, News Media Coalition and Foreign Press Association.

In a joint statement issued on Saturday the groups challenging the charges said: "In a democratic society, all party conferences are of considerable political and public importance and, as such, there should be no charging barrier for journalists to be able to act as the eyes and ears of the public by freely reporting at such events. Through objective journalism, the conference also provides a window for the global community to see UK democracy in action."

The party conference, which takes place in October, is normally attended by hundreds of columnists, editors and reporters. But this year a widespread boycott now looks likely.

The joint statement explained that a promised review of the fees had not happened: "For more than a year, we have been seeking discussion with the Conservative party to review these charges, as promised. This was to find an alternative solution to supposed concerns which the party seeks to address by charging the media for attendance - a decision which we are united in viewing as undemocratic and detrimental to the interests of society and the party itself."

A Conservative party spokesman described the charge as "modest" and said it was to "discourage over-accreditation". They added: "At one recent conference several thousand people who applied for free media accreditation failed to collect their passes, generating large amounts of paper and plastic waste. In previous years, police security checks for non-attendees have cost the party tens of thousands of pounds."

The row comes after the culture secretary vowed to protect "fearless truth-telling". In a speech earlier this month, Lucy Frazer said the government was "taking steps to increase press freedoms and make sure journalists can do their jobs effectively".

Speaking to a media conference in London, she said: "No government has all the answers to all the challenges the media faces, but what I can promise you is that my approach will be guided by the following principles - protect our public service broadcasters; stand up for independent voices; and nurture a thriving media landscape which upholds and champions fearless truth-telling."