CLOSURE OF THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER'S PRINT TITLES

That this House condemns the decision to close the Independent and Independent on Sunday newspapers, which diminishes media plurality and impoverishes the industry; believes that UK media will be the poorer for the loss of an important voice on the newsstands; notes that over 100 jobs could be lost owing to the closure of the print newspapers and sale to Johnston Press; regrets that the owner, Evgeny Lebedev, failed to consult representatives of staff, offered no opportunity to consider alternative strategies, and instead left its journalists to read about the proposed sale through other media; offers full support and solidarity to all journalists at the Independent and Independent on Sunday in the face of this summary action; and calls on the company to meet its legal and moral obligations to avoid compulsory redundancies and enable a smooth transition to those moving to the i and digital Independent.