PRIME Minister Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to the local and regional media at a special reception at 10 Downing Street on Monday.
Around 100 journalists from across the UK attended the prestigious event, including Tristan Harris, the head of editorial at Bullivant Media Group Ltd and the editor of the Bromsgrove, Droitwich and Redditch Standards.
Tristan Harris outside Downing Street. sAfter a welcome, Sir Keir spoke about the journalists he had met whilst on the campaign trail across the country.
“There’s a sort of mixed feeling because I’ve always felt that – and I say this to Cabinet members – you may think answering questions in Parliament is the most difficult thing you’re going to have to do, just wait until you get in front of regional media because somehow you always ask us the question that we’ve been secretly hoping was the one that wouldn’t get asked.
“But there is a really serious point that underpins this because nobody knows your local areas and issues in the way that you do and I don’t think there’s any other sort of media outlets, interrogators, interviewers who can put the questions in the way that you do because you understand what’s happening on your patch the way nobody else does.
“And in a sense, I think because you’re able to translate it into what matters where you are, it makes it more meaningful.”
‘Understanding local communities’
He added it was important for politicians to understand what mattered to local communities.
“There’s no one more committed to shining the torch on those issues.”
He also praised the local media for running campaigns on issues, such as knife crime, which, he said, had always been an important part of the job.
Sir Keir also said of local media: “It’s such a force for good, and I think respected by millions and I strongly feel people go to their local regional media as a trusted source in a way that they don’t quite believe they can get to a trusted source elsewhere.”
He added he and his colleagues always tried to reserve space for local and regional media when out and about.
He said the reach of local regional media going up was ‘a good news story’ but added he understood the pressure and the challenges coming up at the same time was huge.
“Keep advocating for your regions, because, obviously here in Downing Street is where we have a laser focus of communities that you’re advocating for delivering on their priorities, and you must hold us to account for that.”
He thanked the local media for all it did and added: “Thank you for all of the work that you do holding us to account.
“But as uncomfortable though it is it is really important and it’s really important we’re open about that because particularly at the moment, we have to remind ourselves what living in democracy really is, where politicians can’t just say things and get away with it.
“They’ve got to say things, and then they’ve got to face questions of what they’ve said and particularly when it’s put in the context of local communities, local areas and local regions.”
‘Great to be recognised for our hard work’
Tristan said: “It was heartening to hear from the Prime Minister about the value he places on local media and papers and websites like ours.
“And it was great to get the recognition for what we do – my team works extremely hard and these are tough times for our industry – but it is in everyone’s interests to have a strong local press which supports and champions its local communities whilst also holding those in power to account.”
