Labour, Tories, and The Independents Vote Against Press Accuracy.

Reform UK's Sutton West Councillor Terry Cox fumes at the Labour, Conservative, and Independent Groups on Nottinghamshire County Council for voting against an amendment that he seconded around expectations of press accuracy.

The Amendment was passed by Reform UK Councillors at Oak House on 20th November despite opposition from the other parties on Nottinghamshire County Council.

An amendment to a motion around the freedom of the press was introduced by Cllr Jody Stoll and seconded by Cllr Terry Cox of Sutton West. The amendment proposed to add an expectation of accurate press reporting. It was passed by Reform UK Councillors, despite opposition from Labour, Conservatives, and the Independents.

Cllr Terry Cox has since taken to social media attacking Councillors who voted against the amendments.

He wrote:

"Yesterday at a Full Council meeting I supported an amendment to a motion for accurate press reporting. It is no secret that we have had issues with certain elements of the local press. Not just because of recent events is it any wonder we have taken a hardline stance!

'Yesterday’s Full Council vote says it all.'"

"Yesterday, I supported my good friend Cllr Jody Stoll with a motion on press freedom — a simple, balanced amendment that added one basic expectation:"

"It is a simple amendment: 'that reporting should be accurate, fair, and free from distortion' — exactly what the Editors’ Code already requires."

"That’s it. Nothing controversial. Nothing extreme."

"Just the press to uphold their own self imposed standards that the press themselves signed up to."

"And guess what? The Conservatives voted against it. Labour voted against it. The so called Independents voted against it. Reform UK voted for it."

"Three parties — all claiming to stand for transparency — just voted against accuracy, fairness, and honest reporting."

"Let that sink in. Cllr Stoll’s amendment didn’t weaken the motion. It made it real. It gave it teeth. It reassured residents that they’d get factual information, not edited soundbites or sensationalism."

"But the other parties didn’t want that. They were happy with the original motion — basically a feel-good press release pretending to support scrutiny while avoiding the uncomfortable bit:

the bit that actually holds the media to the standards they already agreed to."

"Why? Because the original motion was never about defending transparency.

It was about creating a political narrative — and they didn’t want anything spoiling that storyline."

"Reform UK welcomes scrutiny. We welcome questions. We welcome challenge. Always have. But we also believe the public deserve facts — not distortion, not chopped-up quotes, not headlines that don’t match the story underneath."

"Tonight I stood up for that. They voted it down. The message from the “big three” was loud and clear: Press freedom — yes. Press accuracy — optional. Not on our watch."

"The people of Nottinghamshire deserve better than the usual cosy club from the Conservatives and Labour. They deserve honesty, transparency, and factual reporting. And whether the other parties like it or not, we will keep pushing for it."