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Posted by Mike Community Action on 17th November 2011 at 07:29 PM

Local media reporting

Falsehoods by Salford Labour

Dear Editors,

I am writing to make two complaints about articles recently printed in the Advertiser and Manchester Evening News which are totally inaccurate.

1) On the 10th November 2011 in the Manchester Evening News and today in the Salford Advertiser you have discredited the very important mayoral referendum by stating as fact that any referendum will cost £200,000 and a further £200,000 will be incurred as in the event of a YES vote an election for mayor will take place in October 2011.

This is complete diatribe. What I find unbelievable as the only two newspapers that circulate in Salford that contain issues relevant to Salford that this information is so inaccurate it beggars belief that it was printed in the first place. Where did you get this information from ? Does your newspapers realise that the people of Salford are going to have to make a very important decision over the next few weeks and many of us rely on accurate reporting instead of the untruths being sent by the Salford Labour Party which is printed by your newspapers as statement of fact which will undoubtedly have a massive impact in the minds of those that have to consider such proposals ?

2) The Advertiser has printed a letter by Derek Antrobus in todays Advertiser regarding a Swinton constituency. He has lied. I am leading a campaign in Swinton to support the Boundary Commission proposals. Mr Antrobus at yesterdays council meeting voted against a Conservative amendment for a Swinton & Eccles constituency and voted for the Labour motion for the status quo ie a Salford & Eccles constituency and a Worsley & Eccles South constituency.

Mr Antrobus has not only given you information to try and discredit Mr berg and by association the YES team, your article contained wholly inaccurate information about the timings of elections and hence costs which will undoubtedly affect the result of the referendum, but you also print letters from Mr Antrobus that says one thing and a few simple enquiries you will realise that his actions are completely different to what he says.

Your newspapers have a responsibility for accurate reporting that is unbiased. What I have seen over the last few days has raised very serious concerns about the effect on local democracy your newspapers are having in a detrimental way by reporting and publishing wholly inaccurate information.

It is my intentions to write to Salford City Council to submit a formal complaint about your articles, who was responsible for passing false information and whether action can be taken against them. No doubt they will respond that they have no control over reporting matters in local media. If they do I would agree with that sentiment and therefore your newspapers have an obligation to rectify matters adequately so that the correct position is made absolutely clear, otherwise a once in a ten year lifetime could be missed by the residents of Salford simply because we have newspapers that are inaccurate in their reporting.

I am considering the situation and so far I have personally delivered over 30,000 leaflets in the city, primarily in Swinton. I wont hesitate to correct your inaccurate reporting myself in my way in the interests that local people in this city are given accurate facts.

I look forward to hearing from both newspapers at the earliest opportunity. I reserve my right to complain to the Press Complaints Commission and the Electoral Commission which I do not want to do.

From a dismayed MEN & Advertiser customer and community activist who cares about Swinton, Salford and local democracy.

Has sent the following letter to the Editors as formal complaints to the Advertiser and Manchester Evening News this evening. Michael Moulding, The Community Action Party, 92 Wyndham Avenue, Clifton, M27 6PY. Tel No - 0161 7948483.

Comment by markinM44 ( member ) ^{18th November 2011}
Sorry just for an abbreviated version! You could put a red rosette on a dead dog and people would vote for it and it would receive support from the local media and press. Wait until next may and you will hear them bleating their way to the polling booths, John Merry and his cohorts laugh loudly as they are comfortable in the knowledge that they will never lose. `

Comment by markinM44 ( member ) ^{18th November 2011}
You are going to be disappointed! MEN group have always shown strong support for Labour and most of its reporters wear their political heart on their sleeve. You are in Labour heartland and due to the hereditary or benefit vote they will always have a stronghold here due to a biased press and sheep like voting, good luck with what you are attempting to do but don't be surprised if you make no headway. Probably the only way you will get the local government that you want is to move out of the area.

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