A word from Jack

It was good of Jack Straw to side with Fulham and Hammersmith Chronicle in their battle with the local council over its town-hall produced local newspaper. He is reported as telling the The Newspaper Society: “I am on the side of the papers and not the councils.”



The Trinity-owned paper launched a campaign on its front page and is embarking on a two-week outdoor advertising push on key sites around the borough including eight 48 sheet posters. An ad van even drove around Parliament before moving on to the Hammersmith and Fulham area where it pulled up outside David Cameron’s house.

No paper wants to fall out with its local council any more than it has to when reminding it how it should be doing its job properly and this wasn’t an expense they entered into lightly.

So, it shows very little understanding on the part of the Justice Secretary when he refers to one of the many battles being fought all over the provinces as a “spat”.

Then again, maybe he’ll prove that cynicism misplaced by having a word in the right ear and actually do something about it.