Threat to Newport Jobs

Blogging works.

There have still been no reports in the Argus about the dire threat to future Newport ONS jobs. This is incredible as there has been coverage in the national press for many months. The Guardian, Observer and the Telegraph have all provide full accounts of the debates in parliament and the resistance from Pimlico.

The only reference I saw was a peevish piece by Mike Buckingham quoting a parliamentary debate of a month ago. But there has been no serious reporting or comment from the Argus. On the Home Page of this site I have reprinted the Telegraph article and my own press comments of Monday 7th.

Since I started blogging daily, I have covered exclusively three

Newport

stories that have not been reported by the local press. Incredible. Blogging works and has provided news that cannot be read elsewhere.

Thorn in the Rose

Last night I bumped into my old parliamentary opponent Mark Robinson.

We had a pint and, for the first time ever, a long chat. Mark is the only other person who has been the MP for Newport West from 1983 to 1987. He chatted affectionately about his time in

Newport

as the best period of his political life.

He thought I might bear a grievance because he had described me as ‘the thorn in Labour’s Rose’. It’s an accurate and helpful description that I will use.

We have different views about an Argus editorial that was published a couple of days before the 1987 election. The Argus had supported Labour in all other Gwent seats. In the only marginal seat they backed mark Robinson. In a key marginal with a majority of only 500, the backing of the local paper might have mattered.

The editor later repented six months after I was elected. He has privately explained to me that he was under pressure from his proprietor to balance his support for Labour MPs with backing for a Tory.

Mark Robinson firmly disagrees. He is convinced that he and editor had a strong relationship and he remains very grateful for the help. We will each continue believe our own versions of the ‘truth’. Vital as it appeared at the time, it made no difference.

On almost all other subjects we agreed entirely. Mark came close to joining New Labour ten years ago. It’s not a possibility now because of his disillusionment over the

Iraq

war. I did explain he would be in good company in New Brownite ‘Old Labour’ because they were 139 MPs who defied a three line whip to vote against the war.

Comments

[Damon Lord]

The joke in my family in Newport of hearing some local story is: "That'll be in the Argus in about three weeks."

The South Wales Argus: always the last with the first!

[Paul Flynn]

Thanks Damon,

The Argus are a source of endless amusement. They had a virtual monopoly of local news - not now. I resent giving them so much attention but they do infantalise their readers.

They give vast attention to their own campaigns ( and non-Labour MPs) because they put on 7% circulation by using a vast amount of space on miners' compensation while having virtually no influence on the speed of the payout.

I am still waiting for the Argus to justify their present campaign on arthritis and ex-miners. I believe it is again all about selling more papers and it will cruelly raise hopes that cannot be fulfilled.

Today they at last mention the ONS jobs. Although I have sent press releases and spoke to their reporter Darren Evans who called me on Monday, I am not mentioned in their web-story. I wonder why that it? Those who play their game of mindlessly backing their self-serving campaigns are given lashings of free publicity.

Yes, you're right Damon, they are a laugh