All those in favour say ‘cut’

Date: 20/03/1997

The freedom of the press suffered a 12-8 defeat the other day - and all because of a Euro MP who spotted that a film crew was recording inside a committee room in the Espace Leopold and questioned its right to be present.

A vote was called to decide whether the cameras should be allowed to continue rolling, even though the meeting was open to the written press and radio.

The majority vote decided the matter and the crew was told to leave, but not before British Labour MEP Glyn Ford had even suggested that the film already taken of the proceedings should be confiscated. That did not happen, but the incident has nevertheless raised eyebrows.

Why? Not least because the meeting at which all this occurred was a session of the civil liberties committee.