23/01/2019 | 10:28:50 These are very welcome reports. One reasserts the importance of free media to democracy and makes useful recommendations for practical progress in improving the status of the media in member States. The other argues, rightly, for a major role for independent public service broadcasters in combating what it refers to as “information disorder” and its growth online, especially on social media. There are problems across all member States. The worst attacks on free media are the murder of... 22/01/2019 | 11:28:41 I congratulate the rapporteur, my colleague Dame Cheryl GILLAN, who has done an excellent job on the report, along with her advisers. As others have mentioned, I hope that the Venice Commission will seriously take it into account. The report arose after questions were raised about the process and the fairness of the outcome of several referendums. I will use the Brexit referendum in my own country to illustrate why these are serious questions. It emerged in the British media only yesterday... 21/01/2019 | 18:34:05 I want to start by agreeing with my colleague, Sir Roger Gale, that the United Kingdom remains committed to its membership of the Council of Europe and to all its values. I reaffirm the points that Sir Roger made about the facts relating to Brexit. As things stand, we will leave on 29 March, the default option is leaving without a deal and it is a matter of law. It would take an Act of Parliament to alter that although revocation of Article 50 would stop the process. I would add a couple of...