Let’s hope for an end to untruths and deceit
THANK goodness the election is over and a decision has been made on Brexit. Whatever your feelings about the result and our imminent departure from the European Union, we have to get on and make the best of it.
Hopefully, politicians and political parties will move forward with at least one resolution for the new year: to end untruths and deceit.
Jennifer Nadel, co-director of Compassion in Politics, has said: “This has been the most divisive, deceitful, and disrespectful election campaign in living memory.”
The organisation wants Government to pass a bill that would punish dishonest politicians with an unlimited fine or a maximum twoyear jail sentence.
Sounds like a good idea. I don’t hold out much hope of it becoming law.
We are all aware of the lies and disinformation used since Brexit began to dominate the national psyche, as well as the dangers of uncontrolled fake news peddled on social media.
Last week, the plight of a fouryear-old boy who had to sleep on the floor at Leeds General Infirmary because there were no beds made headlines and became the target of a campaign on Facebook that claimed it was a scam.
The story, which illustrated the dire problems of the NHS, had been broken by the Yorkshire Evening Post in Leeds, and was totally true.
I raised the case last week as an example of good local journalism. It has since attracted national praise for provincial newspapers in general, and I make no excuses for mentioning it again.
Kenan Malik in The Observer said: “In the age of global communication, it is easy to condescend to local papers as quaint and oldfashioned. Yet they play a vital role in sustaining both journalism and democracy … some of the best investigative journalism these days emerges from local newspapers.”
He added: “Regional papers bring scrutiny to social issues often ignored by national journalists.
They also provide a voice to people and areas often unheard, and play a vital role in meshing together our social fabric.
“But they are also under threat. Between 2005 and 2018, 245 local titles were lost. The result is both a journalistic void and a democratic deficit.”
We should value all our provincial press, before we lose it.