“I wholeheartedly congratulate Dr Ross Hawkes, the editor and founder of Lichfield Live, on the award of his doctorate which investigated independent local news journalism.  I know how difficult it is to undertake a doctoral thesis while holding down a full-time job.  Some might say ‘two full time jobs’ in the case of Ross who is both the editor of Lichfield Live as well as being a full-time lecturer in journalism” says Michael Fabricant.

“Lichfield Live and its sister newspaper play an important part in the life of Lichfield and Burntwood.  Following the sad demise of the Lichfield Mercury and the newer Lichfield Post and the Lichfield editions of the Express & Star newspaper group, there has been a vacuum in local news delivery which Lichfield Live has filled.  Whatever we might think of some of the predictable negative keyboard warriors who inhabit the comments columns, the reporting pages have always been fair and accurate in my experience.

“I am keen that journalism like Lichfield Live be encouraged and put on a sounder financial footing by advertising space being bought on independent local news websites by local and national government for public announcements.  I have tabled today a Parliamentary written question to the Cabinet Office: ‘To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to promote independent news networks by ensuring that Government and other public announcements are made by buying space on news websites not owned by newspaper groups particularly in areas where no local printed newspapers are available.’.  I have mentioned Lichfield Live and I look forward to the response from the Cabinet Office.”