Happy Times

The strange hierarchy of the press gallery

With news that the press lobby might be moving to Downing Street, Corridor wonders whether the Westminster obsession with hierarchy among journalists will continue. The press gallery has its own seating plan aligned with seniority: the two best seats are typically held by The Times’ political editor Francis Elliott and The Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn; lowly colleagues from their publications sit several rows behind. Lobby journalists from the likes of the FT and The Guardian are assigned to lesser viewing options. Whatever happened to the democratic press?

31st January 2020