House of Commons · Written Ministerial Statement
Media Freedom Coalition
23 February 2026 · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Proposed by Chris Elmore Lab Bridgend
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
At a glance
Key points
- The UK reaffirms its commitment to media freedom worldwide.
- The UK will co-chair the Media Freedom Coalition for a two-year term starting March 1, 2024.
- The UK will work with Finland to support journalists at risk and address challenges like disinformation and financial pressures.
Issue summary
The UK reaffirms its commitment to media freedom worldwide and announces its co-chairmanship of the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC) for a two-year term starting March 1, 2024.
Action requested
The UK will work alongside Finland as co-chairs to strengthen the MFC's role in supporting journalists at risk, advocating for media freedom reforms, and addressing challenges such as disinformation and financial pressures. The aim is to ensure that the Coalition remains a powerful voice for public interest journalism globally.
Key facts
- Since its founding by the UK and Canada in 2019, the MFC has grown to include 51 countries across six continents.
- Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws chairs an independent panel of lawyers providing pro-bono legal assistance.
- Germany co-chaired the MFC from January 2024 until February 2026 and will hand over to the UK in March 2024.
- Finland began its two-year term as a co-chair in July 2025.