Declassified UK gets Press Pass for Westminster

Posted: 26th February 2026

After seven long months, we’ve won!

Declassified has secured a press pass – overturning a decision that many described as a partisan attempt to suppress investigative journalism.

Back in June, Westminster authorities rejected our application for a press pass, claiming there wasn’t enough space. But that wasn’t the full story.

Internal emails later revealed that officials had cited the “particular standpoint” of our reporting. They flagged our investigations into pro-Israel bias in Westminster and even suggested that our focus on foreign affairs somehow didn’t count as “politics”.

Let’s be clear about what that means: our journalism was scrutinised not for accuracy, not for standards – but for perspective.

And you didn’t accept it.

Over 5,800 readers signed an open letter demanding the decision be reviewed. More than 100 public figures stood with us, including MPs Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell, Clive Lewis and Liz Saville Roberts.

Economist Yanis Varoufakis, broadcaster Sangita Myska, human rights lawyer Michael Mansfield, and Guardian journalist Rob Evans added their names.

Comedians Nish Kumar, Josie Long and Fern Brady stood in solidarity.

So did the heads of Reporters Without Borders, Committee to Protect Journalists and Centre for Investigative Journalism.

In Parliament, 27 MPs from across the political spectrum backed an Early Day Motion calling for the decision to be reversed.

This victory sends a message: independent journalism cannot be quietly sidelined.

We were able to fight this because we are backed by readers, not corporations. We don’t have billionaire owners. We don’t rely on government funding. We rely on you.

Press access to Parliament strengthens our reporting. It allows us to question power directly, investigate more deeply, and hold decision-makers to account from the inside as well as the outside.

If you value fearless investigative journalism, if you want scrutiny of foreign policy, defence, and corporate influence, if you believe Parliament should be accountable to the public - please consider making a donation today.

Every contribution, large or small, strengthens our ability to investigate, to publish, and to withstand pressure when it comes.

Together we fought for access, and together we won.

In solidarity,

Martin.

Martin Williams

Chief Investigator
Declassified UK

Your donations fund our investigations

Monthly donors help make this work possible.