Andy Burnham says journalism is "not as a nice-to-have" in backing local news campaign

Prime Minister Andy Burnham backed the News Media Association’s Journalism Matters campaign, describing independent local reporting as a public necessity. In written comments for the campaign, he said journalists covering local government meetings, court proceedings, and planning sessions examine official decisions and help residents be heard. He tied their work to his government’s plan to shift more authority from Westminster, saying broader local control requires matching local scrutiny. Burnham also cited Southport and Belfast as cases where reliable local journalists rebutted false claims circulating online. NMA chief executive Theo Bamber welcomed the support but said it should produce concrete action, including protecting news publishers from global technology companies’ influence and from harmful policy choices.