More than 100 MPs have now signed a parliamentary petition in support of the National Union of Journalists’ Journalism Matters campaign.

The Early Day Motion has been given cross-party backing, with 110 MPs so far putting their name to it.

It was tabled by Grimsby MP and former journalist Austin Mitchell at the end of November,

It welcomes the launch of the campaign to highlight the importance of quality journalism to local democracy in the UK, and “expresses concern at recent editorial job losses and budget cuts in local newspapers which are undermining journalists’ ability to carry out their role effectively”.

As part of the Journalism Matters campaign, NUJ members have held public meetings and events across the country to highlight issues facing local media, and a national postcard campaign saw thousands of cards sent to MPs asking for their support.

NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear said: “I am delighted to see the huge support for our EDM in Parliament. It is a clear acknowledgement from many in the Government that the damaging attack on our regional press cannot be allowed to continue.

“The powerful handful of companies that own it effectively operate as regional monopolies and are ruthlessly asset stripping and slashing the budgets of community newspapers.

“They are constantly putting the squeeze on jobs and are haemorrhaging skilled journalists who will be very difficult to replace. Those that are left are struggling to do their jobs and maintain high professional standards with ever-reduced resources.”

The full EDM reads: That this House welcomes the launch of the Journalism Matters campaign by the National Union of Journalists to highlight the importance of quality journalism to local democracy in the UK; believes that quality journalism relies on adequate resources being provided to enable journalists to carry out their role in an effective manner; expresses concern at recent editorial job losses and budget cuts in local newspapers which are undermining journalists’ ability to carry out their role effectively; notes that the cuts are being carried out by highly profitable media companies who effectively operate as regional monopolies without in many cases trade union collective agreements and bargaining rights; and therefore calls for an investigation into allegations of profiteering and anti-competitive practices.