Local journalists furious after Theresa May shuts them out of Cornwall factory visit

Theresa May's team shut local reporters out of her factory visit
Theresa May's team shut local reporters out of her factory visit Credit: REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

Local journalists responded with anger after being shut in a room, prevented from filming and being severely limited on what questions they could ask during Theresa May's visit to a factory in Cornwall.

furious and clever liveblog set up by the journalists posted pictures of the door they were stuck behind while the Prime Minister made her tightly controlled visit.

Despite not letting the local newspaper - which has covered the visits of many politicians and royals to Cornwall - get involved in the coverage, Mrs May still ended up having a series of embarrassing pictures of herself eating chips published by national press agencies.

A reporter from Cornwall Live wrote: "We've been told by the PM's press team that we were not allowed to stand outside to see Theresa May arrive".

Things got worse, they said: "PM is here - but we've been shown the door. The prime minister is behind this door - but we can't show you. Her press team has said print journalists are not allowed to see her visiting the company."

The journalists reported: "Having covered several high-profile politicians' and royal visits over the years, the level of media control here is far and above anything I've seen before. We're not even allowed to show you her visiting the building."

They then revealed the full extent of Mrs May's polished media operation.

They wrote: "Here is another example of the tight media control over the visit: All journalists are only allowed two questions for Mrs May, and we are not allowed to film her answering our questions.

"We've been allowed to ask our questions to the prime minister (although we are forbidden to film or photograph her answering them). 

"We were given at most three minutes and were refused to be allowed to ask why we were not allowed to film her.

"Our reporter Lyn was then ushered out of the room."

Journalists and non-journalists alike expressed disgust at this tight control over what was allowed to be published.

This was so prevalent on social media that 'Cornwall Live' trended, with some people commenting that Theresa May got more negative coverage from blocking the journalists than if they had let her enter the factory with her.

Steve Smith, the deputy head of content at Cornwall Live, tweeted: "Never known a visit like this. Our reporters banned from watching PM walk around a factory by @Conservatives PR team".

BBC journalist Tony Brown sympathised, writing: "They tried the same with us on a visit to a factory in London. We were TV POOL but Tory PRO said me and reporter had to leave, I refused to".

 

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