Jeremy Corbyn to release list of meetings with media proprietors after criticism

The Labour leader had not published his quarterly meetings

Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn (PA)

Jeremy Corbyn is to release a list of his meetings with newspaper editors and proprietors after criticism from a Conservative MP.

Tory MP Luke Hall wrote to the Labour leader to tell him the release of his transparency data was “long overdue” because he had been leader for 18 months.

A spokesperson for Mr Corbyn said his office would release a list of the meetings “in due course”.

The Independent understands that the list of meetings is likely to be relatively short.

The Leveson Inquiry into press ethics recommended that party leaders, ministers, and their frontbench shadows publish quarterly lists of meetings with senior editors, media executives, and owners.

Former Labour leader Ed Miliband followed this protocol, as does the Government; however Mr Corbyn has yet to publish his lists.

The Labour leader has had a frosty relationship with the media since coming to office in September 2015. Earlier this month in an angry outburst on air he accused the press of having an “utter obsession” with his leadership.

In his letter, Tory MP Mr Hall wrote: I am writing to bring to your attention that the Labour Party has not published any transparency data relating to meetings with proprietors, editors and senior media executives since the last general election.

“You have now been Labour leader for over eighteen months and so the release of this information is long overdue”.

He continued: “I am hopeful that the Labour Party is still interested in playing a role in this effort, not least because it would be highly hypocritical of MPs to promote the importance of transparency in public life while their party leader chooses not even to adhere to the same standards as their predecessors.”