The Guardian view on Reform UK v the Nottingham Post: a council’s boycott of its local paper is both petty and alarming | Editorial

The article discusses the decision by Nottinghamshire council's Reform UK leader, Mick Barton, to ban his councillors from speaking to the Nottingham Post. The council has a budget of £668m, and the leader's decision to boycott the local newspaper is seen as both absurd and troubling. The article states that elected politicians should expect to be scrutinized, and this attack on journalists is an attack on democracy itself. The council leader's decision was in response to a news report about local government reforms, as well as a viral video interview with a cabinet member who struggled to answer questions. However, the article argues that the Nottingham Post's journalists were simply doing their job of scrutinizing public authorities, which is a normal and expected part of their role. The article concludes that the council's decision is a petty and alarming act that undermines the democratic process.