Are Osborne’s spinners block journalists from asking questions they don’t like?

An intriguing story emerged from a copy of the Express and Star last week, the regional newspaper that covers the West Midlands and Staffordshire. Daniel Wainwright reports that during a recent visit from the Chancellor, a radio journalist said she wanted to ask George Osborne about food banks, and was told that he simply wouldn’t answer it. Here’s the story:

“Talking of George Osborne, here’s a little insight into what goes on in the run up to getting an interview.

These days, whenever any prominent politician from any party comes to town, the spin doctors like to gather reporters in a little room and keep them as far away from the action as possible.

At some point during the visit the politician is brought in to see the waiting media who are allowed to ask one, or maybe two, questions each.

Before they arrive, a spin doctor asks the reporters if they can ‘maybe agree on who is going to ask what so there’s no doubling up’.

They then ask to know exactly what questions we are going to give the politician so they can go and prepare them.

Part of me thinks it’s good that if you’re asking about a very local matter it’s helpful if the politician knows the background to give an informed response.

But the other part of me thinks it’s a damned liberty. A radio reporter said she wanted to ask a question about food banks.

The Treasury spokesman came back to say she would not be getting an answer to that so the question was never even put.”

Of course, it’s worth remembering that this isn’t the first time Osborne has refused to answer a legitimate question.