Propaganda plan rumbled?

Councillor Allen Brett

Rochdale’s Labour Group leader, Allen Brett, has condemned a move to introduce party political content into a council newspaper as an “underhand way of using rate-payers’ money to campaign for the Liberal Democrats.”

At a time when there is growing concerns about the misuse of public money, Councillor Brett said he was surprised to be approached last night by the Council’s Chief Executive, Roger Ellis, with a proposal to change existing arrangements for the council’s civic newspaper.

“It has always been agreed, whoever was in power, that the council’s civic newspaper should be non party political and that councillors would not feature in it,” he explained. “I was therefore quite surprised to receive a call asking for this position to be changed so that photos and information on councillors could now be included in the publication.”

Given that such a move would naturally favour the Liberal Democrats, as controlling group with the most councillors, Councillor Brett said he was suspicious of where the idea had come from.

“I know the Lib Dems have had some damaging headlines of late, but it is not acceptable for them to try and restore their image by using rate payers’ money for propaganda purposes.

“I am not happy that this proposal has been presented to me as a fait accompli and I will be making strong representations against council publications being used in this way.”