HC Deb 24 May 1944 vol 400 c746
59. Captain Alan Graham

asked the Minister of Information whether he will grant to the British Press the same freedom to print the war communiqués of General Mihailovitch as is enjoyed by the United States Press.

The Minister of Information (Mr. Brendan Bracken)

There never has been anything to stop the British Press from publishing the communiqués of General Mihailovitch, if they wish to do so. The British Press have always been eager to give prominence to the communiqués of generals engaged in fighting Axis forces, and they will be greatly surprised by the suggestion that their freedom to do so has been restricted by the Ministry of Information.

Captain Graham

Is my right hon. Friend aware that grave distress has been caused to many devoted Yugoslav friends of this country, both here and in Yugoslavia, by the absolutely partisan attitude of the British Press towards various Yugoslav enemies of the Axis?

Mr. Bracken

If editors in this country are not to be allowed to form their own opinion about news, if the Ministry of Information is to dictate the form the news should take, great harm will be done to the country.