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Parliamentary columns
I refer to Rhona Brankin's latest column in the Advertiser and to our subsequent telephone conversation on that subject.
It is disturbing that a few months before the Holyrood Election you are giving Labour and, I believe, the Lib Dems access through your newspaper to a regular means of spreading propaganda – to the exclusion of other political parties.
As usual Ms Brankin simply used her article in the Advertiser of August 11 to attack the SNP Government.
I have no problem with elected parliamentarians reporting through such a medium on the facts of what is happening in parliament which affect constituents – but to make use of the facility to spread blatantly slanted political views simply contributes to the democratic deficit in Midlothian.
Newspapers are under no obligation to be even handed or, broadly speaking, to report fairly or accurately.
They are entitled to take a political viewpoint and to exclude all others. However, I have no doubt that the danger of going down that road is quite clear to everyone.
The various political parties have strong support bases in Midlothian and it would be economically illiterate for a newspaper to alienate any part of their readership and their advertising clientele by overtly espousing one particular cause.
I fear that in allowing unbalanced critical political comment from specific political groups to the exclusion of all others we may be pushing the boundaries of acceptability.
All I am asking is that there be a balance in the political views being put forward where no political party is excluded and where no political party is favoured.
The test for that should quite simply be to ask the question "Would a member of the public reading the Advertiser reasonably consider the political views expressed to be fairly balanced across the political spectrum?"
We have what will be a closely fought Scottish Parliamentary Election in just a few months. My personal view is that the granting of regular space in the Advertiser to two politicians who very shortly will be candidates, or supporting candidates, is not a reasonable judgment to make.
Cllr. Colin Beattie
SNP Group Leader, Midlothian Council
Editor's note: I re-introduced our parliamentary column to stimulate political debate and bring more opinion into the Advertiser.
Previously, this space had only been offered to one of the two constituency MSPs in our circulation area. This has now been extended to cover both constituencies. A third columnist, Danielle Rowley, represents our local members of the Scottish Youth Parliament. There is no suggestion that any political party is being favoured as all politicians and voters alike are welcome to air their views on our letters page. At the Advertiser we aim to achieve the highest levels of balance and integrity throughout the paper.
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Weather for Dalkeith
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 3 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South west
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Cloudy
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