An independent MP has called on culture secretary Ben Bradshaw to meet with representatives of the local press to discuss how they can continue to deliver a “much cherished and needed service”.

The request is part of an early day motion tabled by Castle Point MP Bob Spink about the demise of local newspapers.

Mr Spink also calls for exploration of “innovative solutions to preserve local journalism for the future”.

The full text of the EDM, which has been signed by 43 MPs, can be read on the Parliament website.

At least 88 journalists have been killed since the beginning of 2009 while hundreds of media employees have been arrested, including 170 still in jail.

These stats come from a six-monthly review by the World Association of Newspapers.

More details and information about individual cases can be found on the WAN website.

Former Royston Crow editor Terry Grote has picked up his OBE from Buckingham Palace.

Terry, who became editor of the Herts title in 1981 having already been its deputy for two years, received the OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in June.

Terry left the Archant paper in 1986 to become MD of the Capital newspaper group, which was later bought by the Independent group, and was MD of The Independent until retiring earlier this year.

Also collecting an OBE was Colin Liddell, former editor of the Queensferry Journal and Gazette and a journalist with the Edinburgh Evening News.

He was given the award for his services to business and charity in Scotland.

The London Evening Standard is downsizing its operations so that one edition, the ‘West End Final’, will be produced later on in the day.

It means the paper will begin to hit the presses after lunchtime in preparation for the afternoon and commuter market at rush hour.

First editions are expected to be distributed from 2pm with any necessary changes made during the print run.

It is believed that around 20 jobs are at risk of redundancy due to the new, streamlined operation which comes into force on 4 January.

The inaugural Golden Twits have been handed out to the best users of microblogging service Twitter.

Among the winners were Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger, popular ‘Dragon’ and entrepreneur Duncan Bannatyne and comparethemeerkat.com, famous for its meerkat TV adverts.

The full list of winners can be read on goldentwits.com.