A lobby correspondence
The following letter, dated March 21 and addressed to the Editor of The Spectator, was received from Mr John Desborough, Secretary of the Parliamentary Lobby Journalists:
The Lobby Journalists' Committee have instructed me to inform you that from today onwards the representative of The Spectator will not be allowed to attend meetings in the Lobby Room at Westminster or to be present at other functions under their direct control.
This decision, which is much regretted, follows publication in your issue for the week ending March 8 of the pseudonymous Tom Puzzle article referring to a private meeting of Lobby journalists with a Shadow Minister. This was a clear breach of the rule that Lobby meetings are confidential occasions.
A resolution adopted by the Lobby committee states: "That this committee finds that the pseudonymous Tom Puzzle article in The Spectator issue for the week ending March 8, 1975, breaches Lobby Practice. The Secretary is, accordingly, directed to inform the Editor of The Spectator that the Lobby Correspondent of that publication is henceforth not permitted to attend meetings, or other functions, under the direct control of the Lobby."
A copy of the resolution will be forwarded to the Serjeant at Arms.
To which the Editor replied on March 25:
We must object most vigorously to the suggestion in your letter of March 21 that The Spectator Lobby correspondent should not be permitted to attend meetings under direct control of the Lobby.
The material appearing in 'Tom Puzzle' came to us from an outside contributor. Our Lobby correspondent has not contributed to the column for several years in any way whatsoever. Any records you have and the evidence of your own members will categorically demonstrate that Mr Patrick Cosgrave, who has our Lobby ticket, was not present on the occasion mentioned.
In response to this, Mr John Egan, Chairman of the Parliamentary Lobby Journalists, replied:
Your vigorous objection to the exclusion of your Lobby correspondent from meetings under our control is noted. The committee will be glad to learn that Mr Patrick Cosgrave was not the author of the 'Tom' Puzzle' material. It was not suggested that he was.
The fact remains, however, that the confidentiality of Lobby gatherings is being breached by your publication. The remedy would seem to be in your own hands.
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