Backlash against Virgin in row over ‘censoring’ of the Mail

VIRGIN Trains was involved in a censorship row last night after stopping the sale of the Daily Mail on its trains.

The decision was announced in an internal memo leaked to the Aslef trade union’s journal.

The memo said ‘considerable concern’ was raised by staff about ‘ the Daily Mail’s editorial position on issues such as immigration, LGBT rights and unemployment’.

Ian Murray, executive director of the Society of Editors, said he was ‘concerned’ by the decision. ‘It smacks of censorship and, regardless of whatever publication is being targeted, this is the start of a very dangerous slippery slope,’ he said.

‘Although Virgin Trains has every right to decide what products it wishes to sell, it’s clear that there are motives of censorship behind their decision which is to be deplored.’

The decision to stop selling the Mail and giving it away in first class was taken by the company in November. Virgin Trains only sold around 70 copies a day, and at the time it told the newspaper that it was a routine review and they were reducing the number of titles sold for space reasons. Last night a spokesman for the Daily Mail said the move was ‘an attack on free speech’.

‘It is disgraceful that, at a time of massive customer dissatisfaction over everincreasing rail fares, and after the taxpayer was forced to bail out Virgin’s East Coast mainline franchise, a decision strongly criticised by the Mail, that Virgin Trains should now announce that for political reasons it is censoring the choice of newspapers it offers to passengers,’ he said.

‘It is equally rich that Virgin chose to launch this attack on free speech in the Aslef trade union journal. For the record, Virgin used to sell only 70 Daily Mails a day.

‘They informed us last November that to save space, they were restricting sales to just three newspapers: the Mirror, FT and Times.

‘They gave no other reason, but it may be no coincidence that all those titles, like Virgin owner Sir richard Branson, are pro-remain.’

Tory MP Nadine Dorries said: ‘It is very sad that a company is seeking to trample on free speech just because some of its staff do not agree with the paper.’