Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 10:41 am on 4 September 2025.
Lucy Powell
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons, Chair, Modernisation Committee
10:41,
4 September 2025
I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising that issue. We have seen Members of this House from the Reform party going around the world savaging our rights to free speech in this country, yet the councils they run are not prepared to answer questions on free speech. They are blocking local newspapers from scrutinising their work and, as the hon. Gentleman says, they are not opening themselves up to freedom of information requests. I will ensure he gets a ministerial response.