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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Karen Bradley criticised by NUJ for snubbing media | Karen Bradley criticised by NUJ for snubbing media |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| The Northern Ireland secretary has been criticised by the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) for refusing to take questions from the media. | The Northern Ireland secretary has been criticised by the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) for refusing to take questions from the media. |
| After political talks at Stormont on Thursday, Karen Bradley spoke to the press for one minute and declined to take any questions from journalists. | After political talks at Stormont on Thursday, Karen Bradley spoke to the press for one minute and declined to take any questions from journalists. |
| It is the latest occasion on which she has refused to take questions. | |
| But the government said on Friday that Mrs Bradley had the "utmost respect for the media". | But the government said on Friday that Mrs Bradley had the "utmost respect for the media". |
| After Mrs Bradley's appearance at the media microphones on Thursday, Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) Simon Coveney spoke to reporters for 10 minutes and took questions. | After Mrs Bradley's appearance at the media microphones on Thursday, Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) Simon Coveney spoke to reporters for 10 minutes and took questions. |
| Leaders of the Northern Ireland political parties also answered questions from the media. | Leaders of the Northern Ireland political parties also answered questions from the media. |
| Ciarán Ó Maoláin, a member of the NUJ's national executive and the secretary of the union's Belfast branch, said that Mrs Bradley's reluctance to engage with the media was "especially disgraceful in a week that has brought to the fore issues around freedom of information and the role of the media in a democratic society". | Ciarán Ó Maoláin, a member of the NUJ's national executive and the secretary of the union's Belfast branch, said that Mrs Bradley's reluctance to engage with the media was "especially disgraceful in a week that has brought to the fore issues around freedom of information and the role of the media in a democratic society". |
| Freedom of the press | Freedom of the press |
| He added: "We all want to see progress in politics and that requires informed debate, transparency and honesty on all sides. | He added: "We all want to see progress in politics and that requires informed debate, transparency and honesty on all sides. |
| "For a government minister to treat journalists with apparent contempt - refusing to take a single question when so many important issues are being discussed - does nothing to advance the political process." | "For a government minister to treat journalists with apparent contempt - refusing to take a single question when so many important issues are being discussed - does nothing to advance the political process." |
| Journalists who were at Stormont House on Thursday posted on Twitter about Mrs Bradley's brief appearance before them. | |
| The government said that Mrs Bradley had "made clear" before the latest Stormont talks that "she would not be providing a running commentary" on what was happening. | The government said that Mrs Bradley had "made clear" before the latest Stormont talks that "she would not be providing a running commentary" on what was happening. |
| "It is an extremely sensitive and delicate time and the secretary of state is focused on doing everything in her power to make a success of the talks process," it added. | "It is an extremely sensitive and delicate time and the secretary of state is focused on doing everything in her power to make a success of the talks process," it added. |
| Before Mrs Bradley was appointed Northern Ireland secretary in January 2018, she was the government's culture secretary. | Before Mrs Bradley was appointed Northern Ireland secretary in January 2018, she was the government's culture secretary. |
| In that role she had responsibility for the media and often spoke about the freedom of the press. | In that role she had responsibility for the media and often spoke about the freedom of the press. |
| In 2016, she said: "A free press must be allowed to continue to hold the government to account." | In 2016, she said: "A free press must be allowed to continue to hold the government to account." |
| Since becoming Northern Ireland secretary, she has routinely refused to answer questions in public from journalists. | Since becoming Northern Ireland secretary, she has routinely refused to answer questions in public from journalists. |