Voters and power of the press

Published: 18th March 2010

• I WAS surprised to receive a leaflet from the Gospel Oak Labour candidates, with a bold headline claiming that the New Journal had exposed the profiteering of property developers, from the Liberal Democrat sale of council housing.
Notwithstanding the fact that the discovery had been made by Gospel Oak Conservative councillor Chris Philp, the leaflet left me feeling very uneasy.
Has the New Journal entered into a secret alliance with Labour to get rid of the three democratically elected, local councillors?
Will we be seeing more evidence of collusion between the New Journal and the Gospel Oak Labour candidates as they seek to overthrow the local people’s choice?
Last local election the New Journal gave front page coverage to a previous Labour councillor of Gospel Oak in a bid to keep him in power.
Local residents chose to ignore the newspaper and voted for three Conservative neighbours rather than three Labour candidates who didn’t live in the ward.
It is clear that Gospel Oak voters would rather have local councillors rather than absent councillors, whatever their party.
It is therefore the height of arrogance for the Labour Party to choose, once again, three candidates who don’t live in Gospel Oak for the May local elections and for the New Journal to back them, presuming that just because they are Labour local people will vote for them.
STEVE ADAMS
Conservative Candidate Gospel Oak