REFORM UK have been accused of "blocking" journalists who have been critical of the party from their annual conference in Birmingham.
Reporters from independent media organisations Byline Times and DeSmog said they had been denied entry to the event, which is running across Friday and Saturday.
Byline Times chief reporter Josiah Mortimer accused Nigel Farage's party of making a "cowardly" move in denying entry to journalists who have scrutinised Reform's work.
Mortimer told The National he had received a media ticket for the gathering on August 5, before receiving a rejection email just days before the conference was due to begin.
He said the email stated: "Thank you for your interest in acquiring accreditation for our conference this year.
"Sadly, this email is one to let you know that your application for accreditation to the Reform UK National Conference in Birmingham 20/21st of September has been rejected. Your sincerely, Reform UK Press Office.”
The journalist has previously investigated Reform's so-called "invisible" paper candidates during the election, while Byline has run stories on how Russian bot farms helped to boost Farage's campaign.
“It’s partly funny, and partly concerning," Mortimer said.
"This is a party that claims it will secure the UK’s next Prime Minister.
“A party that constantly touts itself as a champion of free speech seems to be blocking journalists who have scrutinised it. They’re free to do that, of course, but it does make their claims opposing 'deplatforming' and opposing 'cancel culture' ring a bit hollow."
The journalist said barring the media organisations makes it appear that Reform will "only defend the freedoms of people they support".
He continued: "Standing up for rioters, rather than for example peaceful climate protesters or anti-war marchers, for example."
Mortimer went on: “The decision to bar Byline Times and DeSmog – and potentially others too – from the conference looks pretty cowardly. You could say it’s a two-tier policy on the media.
“They seem more interested in controlling the narrative than engaging in open, honest conversation.
“True freedom of speech includes the freedom to report freely, to disagree with civility, and to hold power to account. Reform UK might not be keen on that, but Byline Times will continue to do so.”
Elsewhere, Adam Barnett from DeSmog, an international news site specialising in reporting on the climate crisis and misinformation around environmental issues, was also prevented from attending the conference.
DeSmog has published extensive work examining Reform UK's "doubts" around the legitimacy of climate science, and on the first day of conference revealed the extent of right-wing Tufton Street think tanks' attendance at the event.
Sam Bright, DeSmog's UK deputy editor, accused Reform of double standards.
"For a party that complains so much about 'cancel culture', it is deeply ironic that Reform has blocked a number of journalists from attending its annual conference," he told The National.
"Farage claims that Reform is now a major political force, yet he's hiding from media scrutiny. Is there something he doesn't want us to find out?"
Reform UK have been contacted for comment.
The party, which secured five seats at this year’s General Election, will see speeches from party leader Nigel Farage, deputy leader Richard Tice, chairman Zia Yousuf and MPs Lee Anderson, Rupert Lowe and James McMurdock at its two-day conference.
Unlike other political parties, Reform is a limited company of which Farage is the majority shareholder.
But on Thursday, he announced he was changing the ownership structure so the party was owned by its members, saying: “I no longer need to control this party.”
He also found himself embroiled in a row after claiming parliamentary security had told him not to hold in-person surgeries in his Clacton constituency due to safety concerns.
The Press Association reports that there is no record of this advice being given to Farage by either the Speaker’s Office or Parliament’s security team, while sources denied such advice had been given as it would interfere with an MP’s democratic duties.
