View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

NUJ general secretary Stanistreet calls for John Whittingdale to resign as she is re-elected unopposed

By Dominic Ponsford

Michelle Stanistreet has been re-elected to a second five-year term as general secretary of the National Union of Journalists.

And speaking at the union's conference today she called on Culture Secretary John Whittingdale to resign over his handling of the fact he had a relationship with a woman who worked as a dominatrix.

She said: "It’s not his sex life, but that he has compromised his position and integrity by allowing his privacy to be shielded by the newspaper owners who have been leaning on him throughout this time, in order that he deliver on press regulation and on the emasculation of the BBC.

"The reality is that in not coming clean to Parliament about a clear conflict of interest, Whittingdale compromised his own position. He’s taken decisions of vital interest where his knowledge of the dirt that Paul Dacre has had on him cannot but have had an impact.

"We cannot be expected to believe that the sweets he’s served up to the industry on press regulation and the BBC are but a coincidental meeting of minds. He should resign and he should resign right now.”

She told the meeting that the union's finances had improved under her watch: "We had committed to rebuilding reserves – with the goal of £2million by 2020. We have surpassed that goal already and are in the position of being able to self-finance a renovation of Headland House, the union’s sole asset, that will not only significantly increase the value of our headquarters, but will provide a vital source of enhanced income.”

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Topics in this article : ,

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network