In a democracy it is the job of the press to hold the powerful to account on behalf of their fellow citizens. And in a free society journalists should be able to do their jobs without being threatened. That includes being able to knock on front doors and seek answers to questions.

When The Times uncovered evidence which showed that Kate Osamor, the Labour MP for Edmonton, had not only known about her son’s arrest for drugs offences — about which she had denied all knowledge until his conviction in October — but had even written a letter to the judge pleading for leniency, our reporter went to Ms Osamor’s house to ask for her reaction to our story. Ms Osamor’s response was to tell