Forum Topic

The BCI Times and Labour.

Has a deal been struck i wonder between the Local Labour Party and the Brentford Chiswick and Isleworth Times newspaper?Over the last few weeks i have noticed reading the letters page that any contribution that mentions Ann Keen in either a good or a bad light has a response in the same edition from one or all of the following Labour stalwarts,Alan Sheerins,Seema Malhotra or the un-named spokesperson for Ann Keen?Why do the Labour Party get this special unique priviledge to review letters sent to the paper allowing them to respond the same week?A more cynical person than me would perhaps feel the paper has been threatened by them in some way to allow this practice?

Paul Fisher ● 7282d6 Comments

PaulI'm sorry to see that your letter wasn't published.  I dislike this habit which some newspapers seem to have developed of just ignoring awkward questions.  This may be something we have become used to from the Labour Party but it is nonetheless rude and it reflects badly on a respected newspaper such the Times. My suggestion would be that, as with Ann Keen, you should persist until you receive the courtesy of an answer.  I see to it that this matter is highlighted in the ICG's e-bulletin and on our website.

Phil Andrews ● 7281d

I would like to think it was just lack of space which prevented my letter being published this week in the BCI Times but as the part of my letter last week referring to Labours unique arrangement to vet correspondence before printing was edited out i am not too sure.I hope nobody minds if i reproduce my intended letter here as i feel it asks some importent questions.Dear Sir,I noticed once again last week that for some reason your paper allows local Labour members the chance to respond to a letter inthe same edition as the original was printed.Will this be extended to all readers of your paper in the future or are you underan obligation of some kind to keep them happy?I also noticed that in all their usual bluster they yet again conveniently ignored the main point about whether Mr and Mrs Keen wouldcontinue to claim the expenses for their Covent Garden property and how they can possibly justify this?I have been asking Mrs Keen this question for many months now and have received just two replys,one from her and one from her secretarywhich were both nearly identical reminding me only that she had voted with the Government (surprise!) for greater expenses transparency butnot telling us why they claim £35,000 a year between them when they live just nine miles from Westminster.All I ask in plain simple English is why do they feel the need to do this and is this the reason they do not hold regular surgeries in casesomeone asks one of them face to face as I did on May 5th this year?RegardsPaul Fisher

Paul Fisher ● 7281d

It is clear from recent coverage that the paper has been unimpressed by Ann Keen's antics and has been prepared to say so, so I think it would be wrong to suggest that the paper has a political bias towards New Labour.Nevertheless, the special privilege to which Paul refers is demonstrable fact as opposed to supposition, and there has to be some reason why the newspaper is permitting itself to be bullied in this way.I have related on other threads how a very major story involving evidence which I revealed in public of Labour misusing local taxpayers' money for the circulation of its election material was squashed, even to the point of the Times being unprepared to publish a letter on the subject.The local Labour Party does seem to wield some kind of power over the Times in certain situations, but its recent criticisms of Ann Keen would suggest to me that it is a power which Labour has reason to believe it can only use sparingly.

Phil Andrews ● 7281d

The paper seems to be quite hostile to Ann Keen and looking at the most recent editions her threatened legal action doesn't seem to have muzzled them so it's very unfair to accuse them of being bought by advertising (which Ann Keen doesn't have any to spend anyway). This contrasts with the Rich and Twick which has been completely supine with regards to the Tory administration there.

Justin Harris ● 7281d

And why is it that Ann Keen never responds to anything herself. All this "a spokesperson on behalf of" is beginning to get on my nerves. And what ever happened to freedom of speach and the freedom of the press. It all seems to go out of the window when it comes to this woman.

Andrew Sibley ● 7282d

Paul advertising is the first thing that springs to mind?

Morag Campbell Hawick ● 7282d