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Always ask for more: Phil clocks up 40 years’ service with the union


HAZEL DUNLOP


PHIL SUTCLIFFE has stepped down from the London freelance branch committee, after an astonishing four decades, to devote time to writing a book, writes Mike Holderness. Members paid tribute to his work for the union at the branch


seasonal event in December. Branch chair Tim Gopsill organised and presented the traditional giant card, packed with tributes from members past and present. Gopsill observed that Sutcliffe had done most of the work putting the gathering together – so he remained the perfect trade union colleague, unwittingly organising his own leaving do. Sutcliffe, a former music journalist, joined London Freelance


Branch in 1979 – at the time of a freelance strike at IPC Magazines – and swiftly became a keystone of its work. He has been chair and secretary of the branch, and was most


recently joint membership secretary. He also served as chair of the union’s freelance industrial council and a national executive council member. In 2006, he was made an NUJ member of honour. Humphrey Evans recalled working with Sutcliffe on NUJ training courses Getting Started as a Freelance and Pitch and


Deal – the latter covering the niceties of getting commissions and negotiating good terms for them. Sutcliffe, he said, was remarkable for always giving every


course participant individual and personal attention – asking after their specific circumstances in breaks and keeping his door open for further advice years down the line. And Humphrey reminded all freelances of the key message that Phil chalked up at the end of each course: “Always ask for more.”


Family courts open to reporting


THE BAN on reporting what takes place in family courts has been lifted under a 12-month pilot scheme in Cardiff, Carlisle and Leeds. Guidance issued by the


president of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane, will permit


Steve Bell


journalists who hold UK Press Card Authority accreditation to access certain court documents as of right, and – subject to anonymisation and compliance with the terms of a transparency order issued in each case – to publish


from those documents, report evidence given in court, and publish their observations of proceedings. Family members and other


parties will also become free to discuss their case with duly accredited journalists without being in contempt.


The pilot emerged


following concerns raised by MPs, the media, families, charities, lawyers and the judiciary. This resulted in Sir


Andrew’s report Confidence and Confidentiality – Transparency in the Family Courts, which was published in October 2021.


“


Sutcliffe was remarkable for giving all course participants individual attention and keeping his door open for advice years down the line


Humphrey Evans


To support journalists who wish to report under the pilot scheme, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism has created a microsite at www. tbij.com, with information for reporters and others. Queries from the media to the judicial organisers of the pilot can be sent to pilots@thetig.org.uk.


06 | theJournalist


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