Thursday 29 September 2011

Ben Gummer - an apology

A short post just to enable myself to apologise to our MP - Ben Gummer. A week ago I posted an article that was based on a story broken by the 'Morning Star'. The post is here. Though Ben was 'told off' by the chair for talking during a meeting I have no doubt that he meant no disrespect to those who suffer from mesothelioma and that he did indeed listen carefully to Labour MP Kate Green's speech on Legal Aid and cases of mesothelioma.

I have always found Ben Gummer polite and I know that he is a conscientious and hard working MP, due to his interest in penal reform I know he was keen to be involved in the committee looking at Legal Aid. I do not agree with his views on the changes to the Legal Aid system (posted here) and it seems from the comments to Ben's article that many others are also concerned where the government are going with Legal Aid.

I unreservedly apologise to Ben and will make sure that I ask for his view before printing any story on him in the future.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Alisdair, you believed what you read in a far left newspaper writing about a Conservative MP? Surely not.

Anonymous said...

The Morning Star is hardly going to have an objective view on a Conservative MP, Alisdair. Surely you knew that?

Alasdair Ross said...

Ken
Tend not to believe anything I read in a newspaper, but the Morning Star printed word for word what they had received from The Asbestos Victims Support Groups Forum in a form of a Press release.

Ben should ask the Forum why they decided to tell the press.