London Freelance Branch meetings

Defend Adil Raja!

This Branch earlier offered its solidarity to member Adil Raja ikn the face of threats that appear to emanate from the government of Pakistan. This Branch now reaffirms this in the face of threats from parties claiming to represent the United States.

This Branch requests that the Chair write to the General Secretaries of the NUJ and of the International Federation of Journalists to express this solidarity and to request them to renew theirs.

Proposed: Mike Holderness

Amendment: Defend Adil Raja!
accepted by proposer and passed nem con
replace all with

This Branch resolves to reaffirm its solidarity with NUJ member Adil Raja, who continues to face intimidation and threats arising from his journalism.

This Branch notes with grave concern that Adil Raja has faced repeated and credible threats to his life and safety, including pressure to alter his journalism in line with foreign political interests, threats against him and his family, and a break-in at his home.

This Branch condemns all forms of harassment, surveillance, intimidation and attempts to silence journalists, wherever they occur.

This Branch instructs the Chair to write to the General Secretary of the NUJ and the General Secretary of the International Federation of Journalists seeking renewed solidarity and support.

This Branch calls upon the NUJ to encourage supportive MPs to table an Early Day Motion, raise the matter with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and seek engagement with the Foreign Secretary and other relevant Ministers.

This Branch further calls on the NUJ to urge the UK Government to express concern to the Ambassador of Pakistan regarding the safety of Adil Raja, his family and other dissident voices, noting the grave risks faced by those who criticise powerful interests, including threats, violence and killings, and to seek assurances that they will be protected from intimidation or reprisals.

This Branch further calls on the NUJ to seek urgent practical, legal and protective support for Adil Raja and his family, including police risk assessment, security advice, and coordinated support in relation to any further legal action or threats.

This Branch also calls on the NUJ to work with the NUJ Parliamentary Group, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and other independent international press freedom organisations to coordinate advocacy and practical support.

This Branch believes journalists must be able to do their work without intimidation, wherever threats originate."

Proposed: Giovanni Ulleri

Remuneration

London Freelance Branch remunerates key members for their journalistic contributions to the smooth running of Branch functions. Historically these payments have been increased on a yearly basis to offset inflation; the last raise took effect from January 2025.

The recommended increases for 2026 are based on the effects of inflation since the last adjustment, using data to be found here: www.rateinflation.com/inflation-rate/uk-inflation-rate. The median published rate over the past year was 3.373%.

The Remuneration Sub-Committee recommends that with effect from January:

• The current £1089 paid jointly to the Freelance co-editors should be increased to £1126 per month (rounded up from £1125.73).
• The current £423 paid to the social-media editor should be increased to £437 per month (rounded down from £437.27).

Proposed: Mel Lambert, chair
Seconded: Jenny Vaughan
NUJ LPB Remuneration Sub-Committee

Repurposing of funds allocated for an event on the targeting of women journalists of colour

This branch reiterates its concern at the growing levels of targeted attacks on women journalists of colour particularly on social media platforms.

This branch recognises the importance of hearing from the victims of such attacks and those campaigning against malicious acts and behaviours including greater accountability and responsibility on the part of owners of the social media platforms and other publications.

Therefore this branch is happy to support the branch committee’s request to repurpose funds previously agreed for a one-off public meeting to the production of a series of short videos and written testimonies and comments from affected women journalists of colour and campaigners. This will be a lasting legacy of work for the NUJ London Freelance branch and a useful tool to raise wider awareness against the victimisation of women journalists of colour and the associated issues.

Proposed: Deborah Hobson

Working Class Movement Library

This Branch notes that for a number of years it has made donations to the Working Class Movement Library in Salford. It agrees to continue this practice, and to donate £100.00 to the library.

Proposed: Jenny Vaughan

BBC licence fee
(The Branch needs to vote to accept this late motion.)

LFB welcomes the union’s approach to the renewal of the BBC Charter on 1 January next year. The branch supports the changes sought to enhance the position of journalists within the corporation.

However we note that its response to the government’s Green Paper says: “The NUJ supports the licence fee model and opposes decriminalisation of nonpayment, which remains an effective deterrent against evasion” which we believe is mistaken and must be changed.

The branch notes that last year’s NUJ Delegate Meeting passed motion Composite K which said that a “safer and fairer funding arrangement” should replace the Licence Fee. This component of the composite had been proposed by LFB.

The branch declared that the Licence Fee was “a liability that renders the BBC open to criticism from its commercial rivals and political detractors”.

The branch further notes that the BBC itself in its response to the Green Paper says: "The BBC’s funding model needs reform... We need a modernised public funding mechanism that can support a universal public service." The branch believes it would be unfortunate if the NUJ was seen to defend a system that even the BBC no longer wants.

Accordingly the branch urges the NEC to revise its approach and join the forces campaigning for a better system for funding the BBC.

Proposed: Tim Gopsill

Making freelance journalism pay - event
passed 18 for, 2 against, 2 abstentions

This Branch authorises its Committee to spend not more than £5000 on an event on “Making freelance journalism pay” on Saturday 9 May, for necessities such as venue and equipment hire, reasonable refreshments and speakers' expenses.

Please note that the Committee plans to charge members £15 to attend, with a reduced rate for those on low incomes and a £50 charge for non-members. The Committee therefore expects the net cost to be lower than this contingency authorisation.

Proposed: Pennie Quinton

International Workers Memorial Day
passed nem con

This Branch commits to organising an event on International Workers Memorial Day, 28 April 2026, to recognise the number of journalists and others killed whilst working and the huge numbers of people injured, disabled and made unwell by their work around the world, and how the greater majority of this is predictable and preventable. The event will re-commit to remembering the dead and fighting for living!

Proposed: Mick Holder

Countering misinformation about migrants in the media
passed nem con

This Branch draws the attention of members to www.togetheralliance.org.uk and specifically to the rally it is organising in London on 28 March: “March Together. For Love. For Hope. For Unity... Together we can reject narratives of division and racism.” We note that the NUJ centrally is listed as endorsing the campaign.

The Branch instructs its Committee to approach the NUJ's Ethics Council and National Executive Council to pursue initiatives counter misinformation and disinformation in the media, about refugees and migrants, that fuel narratives of division and racism.

Proposed: Grace Livingstone

Amendment: Countering misinformation about migrants in the media

Before “Ethics Council” insert “Black Members' Council”.

Proposed: Grace Livingstone

Freelance Journalism Impact Award
passed nem con

This Branch agrees to sponsor the Impact Award, one of the awards organised by freelancingforjournalists.com, at a cost of £250.

The Impact Award will be for a freelance journalist who has made a significant impact in their field. This could be from a successful campaign or a story which has led to local or national change or a sustained effort to challenge reporting restrictions in court for example.

Proposed: Nika Talbot

NUJ Extra
passed 18 for, 2 against, 5 abstentions recorded

LFB agrees to suspend its payments of £250 monthly to NUJ Extra, the independent charity for NUJ members – subject to review at any time. (Explanation: the Branch instituted this payment when covid-19 regulations prevented it from holding in-person meetings.)

Proposed: Phil Sutcliffe

AGM motion: Proofreading Branch rules
passed nem con

LFB agrees to amend its Standing Orders so that Standing Order 9 specifies that Delegate Meeting delegates shall be elected on a simple total of votes cast by members at the relevant Branch meeting.

Proposed: Mike Holderness

Venezuela and the safety of journalists
passed as amended 22 for, 1 against, no abstentions recorded

This Branch is very concerned at the events that occurred in the sovereign country of Venezuela on Saturday 3 January 2026 - that have been widely reported by UK news and media outlets around the world.

As members of the global community, we deplore the violation of international law that has seen the US bomb sites in Venezuela resulting in a number of civilian and other fatalities and the abduction of the country’s president and its first lady to the US to face what it states are criminal charges.

This Branch has an understanding of the gravity of the situation now faced by the people of Venezuela. We have seen from other historical examples that fear, instability and a power vacuum created by one country’s attack on the rights of another is a threat to the security of civilians as well as the safety of journalists and reporters.

We urge the NUJ to work constructively with journalist organisations in the region to ascertain their needs and requirements at this difficult time and offer assistance as deemed appropriate.

We note that a number of trades union general secretaries in the UK have condemned the US action against Venezuela in a statement as reported by the Morning Star on 5 January 2026 - these include Daniel Kebede (NEU), Fran Heathcote (PCS), Jo Grady (UCU), Eddie Dempsey (RMT), Steve Wright (FBU), Steve Gillian (POA), Maryam Eslamdoust (TSSA), Sarah Woolley (BFAWU) and Gawain Little (GFTU). The UK prime minister’s refusal to denounce the abduction of the Venezuela president was also condemned by Unison general secretary Christina McAnea. [The Financial Times is deeply unhappy too.]

Proposed: Deborah Hobson

Amendment: Venezuela and the safety of journalists

1. Delete paragraph 5

2. Insert  the following:

This branch condemns the harassment of journalists by the Venezuelan government which has included several cases of arbitrary detention, as documented by Reporters Without Borders (RWB).

The branches notes with concern that since the US military action of 3 January 2025, journalists now face heightened risks.  According to RWB: “Intimidation, direct threats, phone searches, and forced deletions of journalistic content — practices that became widespread after the 2024 elections in Venezuela — are now compounded by new dangers. These threats no longer originate from a single, identifiable state authority but from multiple actors, significantly increasing insecurity for media professionals.”

Proposed: Grace Livingstone

Defend Adil Raja and journalism in Pakistan
passed nem con

This Branch expresses its solidarity with member Adil Raja. An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has announced multiple criminal convictions and severe prison sentences in absentia against a group of Pakistani journalists and commentators now living abroad. Adil is one of those named, alongside colleagues such as Sabir Shakir, Wajahat Saeed Khan, Syed Haider Raza Media and others.

Adil tells us that none of them were notified of charges. None were summoned. None were shown evidence. None were given the opportunity to appear or defend themself. They learned of the convictions through the media, after sentences had reportedly already been imposed.

This appears to be a clear case of judicial harassment aimed at journalists in exile — to be part of a wider global trend of transnational repression, in which authoritarian states use courts and counter-terrorism laws to intimidate critical voices beyond their borders.

This matters to all of us in the NUJ, because it cuts to the heart of what the union exists to defend:

• the right to report freely;
• the safety of journalists wherever they work or live; and
• and the principle that journalism is not terrorism.

The Branch resolves to write to the NUJ National Executive and to the General Secretary thanking them for any steps that they may already have taken and urging them to increase pressure on relevant governments to protect journalists and journalism.

Proposed: Mike Holderness