THE National's foreign editor has warned of the dangers to press freedom and said the UK is beginning to go down "some worrying routes".
David Pratt, from Hamilton, was speaking on the how conflict reporting has changed since he began his careers more than 40 years ago.
He has reported on wars in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Haiti, the Iranian revolution, Iraq, Libya, the Nicaraguan revolution, and events in Gaza, Ukraine, Russia, Somalia, Sudan, and Syria.
Delivering the Royal Society of Edinburgh's MacCormick European Lecture, Pratt warned that "the dangers to press freedom are everywhere" as far-right politicians gain increasing traction and countries impose stricter limitations on press.
"It's, if anything's pervasive, it's the danger to press freedom right now. It's like a cancer that's growing and it's alarming to see," Pratt said.
"You think, well, that's that wouldn't happen here, but we're beginning to go down some rather, rather strange and worrying routes in that way."
Pratt urged the audience to "stay on top of" freedoms for press, and pointed to "downright propaganda".
"That's why I think it's imperative, whether it be right here on our doorstep, or whether it be in far flung parts of the world, that we keep on top of that, you know, if we do not have that press freedom, and it is worrying," he stressed.
"I mean, we're all familiar with the online landscape at the moment and the effects of disinformation and fake news and frankly downright propaganda being pushed and fed by some very, very powerful people right now.
"All the more reason why we need to make sure that we have a functioning free press, and let's be under no illusions, just because we don't live in Vladimir Putin's Russia doesn't mean to say that press freedom is exactly in clear blue water here.
"We cannot take it for granted. We must stay on top of it."
Pratt added: "So the short answer is yes, I do think there's a threat, but it's up to us to make sure that it doesn't become an unworkable situation where our press is suddenly gone, and we don't have those independent voices and eyes and ears."
The UK's place in the World Press Freedom Index increased from 26 out of 180 in 2023 to 23 out of 180 in 2023. However, the organisation said: "Alarming attacks on Iranian journalists exiled in the UK, lawsuits aimed at gagging journalists, widespread job cuts, and low public trust in media all marked the UK press freedom landscape in 2023. "
At the international level, 2023 saw more than 100 Palestinian reporters killed by the Israel Defence Forces, including at least 22 in the course of their work.
