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A second Byline Times journalist has been blocked from attending Conservative party conference, following our political editor Adam Bienkov’s also being rejected.
Award-winning investigative journalist, and Byline Times journalis, David Hencke, was blocked from attending the conference, despite being a regular attendee for almost four decades.
Hencke, who exposed the ‘Cash for Questions’ scandal and was named Political Journalist of the Year at the 2012 British Journalism Awards, has attended most Conservative party conferences since 1987, working for many years as a Westminster lobby journalist for the Guardian, Tribune magazine and more recently Byline Times.
Despite his long record of attendance, the Conservative party failed to approve a pass for Hencke, leaving him hundreds of pounds out of pocket.
It comes after this outlet reported last month that the Conservative party, “whose leader Kemi Badenoch has repeatedly pledged to fight for free speech’” had banned Adam Bienkov from attending her party’s annual conference” in Manchester.
Bienkov was also given no explanation for his rejection from the conference, but a Conservative official later told him the decision had been taken by “our media team”.
The National Union of Journalists described the bans as a “worrying” threat to media freedom.
“We are concerned by reports that the Conservative Party has blocked Byline Times journalists from accessing its conference,” Laura Davison, NUJ general secretary, said.
“This would continue a worrying trend of legitimate newsgatherers being denied access to political proceedings that are firmly in the public interest.
“It also undermines the Conservative Party leader’s repeated pledge to fight for free speech and risks the impression of a party that is trying to evade press scrutiny.
“The Conservative Party should properly communicate and clarify the specific reasons for not granting these journalists access to its conference. Once again, the union calls on all political parties to uphold media freedom and democratic accountability.”
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Veteran political reporter Hencke says he never received a notice of approval for his pass, nor received one in the post, despite applying well within the time frame and having attended the gathering for decades.
He had already booked a hotel for the conference through a scheme promoted by the Conservative party itself. Hencke has now been charged £400, as the booking scheme had a strict cancellation policy, which meant by the time it had become clear he had not been given a pass, it was too late to cancel.
Hencke told Byline Times: “I never got an official reply about whether I’d got a pass or not, and I wasn’t going to go all the way up there and be turned away. So I cancelled the hotel” – and was charged in full.
“It’s bloody outrageous. If I’d booked directly with the hotel, [cancellation] wouldn’t have cost me anything, but through the booking system that was offering a reduction, I ended up paying a lot.” He has put in a formal complaint.
Commenting on his apparent rejection from the conference, Hencke said he is “really furious.”
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“I’ve had no reply. I’ve been going since 1987. [This time] I’d drawn attention to the fact that Adam Bienkov was rejected [so] I’m wondering whether it was indirect retaliation [for that].”
He added: “It’s quite disgraceful really. There was no problem [going with Tribune magazine] in 2010 and onwards. Tribune would be regarded as left-wing. More so probably even than Byline Times, because it’s affiliated to the left of the Labour Party. It was actually owned by a trade union.”
Asked what he thought it meant for the state of the Conservative party, he said: “I think the Tories are manoeuvring [towards Trump]. Look at the conference promising to deport thousands of people. It’s very Trumpian stuff. And on net zero [too]. There’s no question.”
“It’s rather odd.”
Following his complaint, a representative from Visit Manchester, which coordinates the conference hotel scheme, told Hencke they were “sorry to hear about the situation and the frustration it’s caused you.”
They said they were investigating the matter, adding: “[We] completely understand your decision to cancel, especially given the uncertainty around your conference pass and the communication your colleague received. It’s entirely reasonable that you wanted to avoid any risk of arriving and not being admitted.”
Kemi Badenoch’s ‘Free Speech’ Conservatives Ban Byline Times From Party Conference
The ban on covering the party’s annual gathering came despite Badenoch’s repeated commitment to “fight” for free speech and a free press
The Conservative Party has been contacted for comment. We will update this piece if the party replies.
A Conservative party spokesperson told Bienkov last month, on his rejection: “I’m sorry to inform you that your media registration has not been approved by our media team this year. This decision was made following a thorough review of all accreditation requests, and I understand that this may be disappointing news—particularly given your longstanding attendance and engagement with the event.”
“We genuinely value your past participation and the coverage you’ve provided over the years. Please be assured that the decision was not taken lightly.”
Kemi Badenoch and fellow Conservatives have frequently railed against attacks on free speech – supposedly entirely from the left – in recent months.
Several journalists were also removed or barred from the Labour party’s recent conference in Liverpool, including Guardian columnist Owen Jones and Novara Media’s Rivkah Brown.
Last year, Byline Times had its accreditation revoked for Reform UK’s conference after receiving a valid press ticket. Deputy leader Richard Tice has since accused this outlet of trying to “kill” his party.
In an article by Index on Censorship, a spokesperson for the NGO said: “Last year, Byline Times published an embarrassing story about Conservative party councillors pretending to be ordinary folk during a televised election campaign event. A year later, Bienkov is suddenly off the invite list…
“Both parties are led by people who position themselves as guardians of free speech. It’s pretty revealing of the vacuity of such claims…
“Journalists come to [conference] to ask the tough questions and challenge politicians and even party members on inconsistencies or shortfalls. Fill the marquees with “yes” people and democracy is bound to suffer.”
Got a story? Get in touch in confidence on josiah@bylinetimes.com
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