There are some wonderful stories in the Old Testament, but I am especially fond of one found in 2 Samuel where we see the prophet Nathan exposing King David’s appalling behaviour. David thought he could get away with it, but God had other ideas.

It reinforces my passion for free speech, something reflected in a quotation often attributed to Voltaire (although I’ve read that it’s a summary of what he believed): “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

I am a fervent supporter of a free press too and almost became a reporter. I can only applaud those who give of their time and their God-given skills to enrich our knowledge and understanding of the world. All of which brings me to Gaza and Nottinghamshire.

An unusual association you might think but very understandable given the various challenges that face those who work for the press. They are obvious in Gaza of course. According to the latest statistics I’ve seen at least 197 journalists and media workers have been killed since the war began on 7 October, 2023 - 189 of them Palestinians killed by Israel in Gaza, according to the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). International news outlets, including the BBC, rely on local reporters within Gaza because Israel does not allow them to send journalists into the territory except on rare occasions when they are embedded with Israeli troops.

That’s why we need to be thankful for the steadfastness and courage of those Palestinian journalists then, who are risking (and losing) their lives so that we can be aware of the facts on the ground, and if necessary, call the authorities to account. One reporter summed it up well: “My heart breaks from the intense pain when I report the killing of fellow journalists, and my mind tells me I might be next... The pain consumes me inside, but I hide it from the camera and keep working.”

But reporters in Nottinghamshire seem to be facing their own challenges too in the light of reports that Nottinghamshire County Council had announced that its Reform UK leader had banned the Nottingham Post and its online arm, Nottinghamshire Live, from speaking to him and other councillors “with immediate effect” because of a story it ran on local government reorganisation.

As I understand it, he has since said that the ban only applied to council press releases, invitations to events and interviews with him. It came as no surprise to me to read that Nigel Farage is going to have a little chat with him! We await developments and further clarifications.

Every journalist needs a ‘Nathan spirit’ and to take heart from Churchill’s famous words: “Everyone is in favour of free speech. Hardly a day passes without its being extolled, but some people’s idea of it is that they are free to say what they like, but if anyone else says anything back, that is an outrage.”