Freedom of the press as long as you don't ask the government difficult questions

[Barry]

Maybe the DWP are just sick of being harrassed by minority politically motivated pressure groups and just prefer to try to get on with their job.

[papasmurf]

Perhaps the DWP didn't consider the questions were important enough to spend time on during this difficult period.

Deaths caused as a result of DWP action and inaction are not important?

[patman post]

Perhaps the DWP didn't consider the questions were important enough to spend time on during this difficult period. I guess DNS could always get some help from mainstream journalists to pose similar questions and see if they get a response...

[papasmurf]

The government only champions freedom of the press when it suits them:-

More at link with embedded links.

https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/dwp-silent-as-it-stops-answering-questions-from-disability-news-service/

DWP silent as it stops answering questions from Disability News Service
By John Pring on 17th September 2020
Category: Politics


Focus
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has stopped answering questions from Disability News Service (DNS), and is refusing to explain why it has taken the "totally unacceptable" step.

Since early July, DWP's press office has failed to provide a meaningful response to questions submitted by DNS on 10 consecutive news stories.

There has been no explanation from DWP for the apparent refusal to respond on issues including the deaths of benefit claimants, the failure of minister for disabled people Justin Tomlinson to engage with disabled people's organisations, and the silence of the government's Disability Unit during the coronavirus pandemic.

In two of the stories, the DWP press office suggested that it could not respond for legal reasons, but with the other eight there was no explanation for the department's refusal to comment.