Sir – Witney was in the limelight recently with the publication of correspondence between Witney’s MP and Ian Hudspeth, leader of Oxfordshire County Council. National newspapers covered the story, as did the main radio and television channels. Social media was abuzz.
Meanwhile, here in Witney, all was calm. The Witney Gazette devoted just 100 words to the story on page 13, beneath a picture of a cat. And yet, it was its sister paper, the Oxford Mail, that broke the story and revealed all to the world.
The Witney Gazette is not known for ruffling political feathers, but public dispute between the constituency’s most prominent political figures deserves serious attention. Local news does not have to be trivial news.
It is depressing to think that this dispute would have received more coverage from the Witney Gazette had David Cameron and Ian Hudspeth been pictured with the cat.
Stuart Macdonald
Witney Green Party
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