Press 'sacred role' under threat - Maude
The "sacred role" of the press in holding the government to account is under attack, Francis Maude will warn today. The Cabinet Office minister will tell a meeting of the Open Government Partnership that "free speech and press freedoms all around the world" are under increasing threat. Writing in the Daily Telegraph ahead of the meeting, Mr Maude mounts a strong defence of the "vital role" the press play in the democratic process, and claims restrictions on the media will make it easier for politicians to misuse taxpayers’ money.