Reform donor Arron Banks urged to set out extent of surveillance of journalists

Industry body says use of private investigators against reporters is ‘attack on our democracy’ after Banks apparently admitted doing so

The businessman and Reform UK donor Arron Banks is facing calls to lay out the extent of his surveillance of journalists, described by an industry body as an “attack on our democracy”.

The News Media Association (NMA), which represents regional and national media, raised concerns after Banks appeared to admit over the weekend to hiring private investigators to spy on a Sunday Times journalist.