Political bias of the Bath Chronicle

bath | media and culture | opinion/analysis Tuesday June 23, 2009 07:12 by John Doe

Editorial team at the Bath Chronicle and the B&NES Liberal Democrats

We want the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth

On 25 May 2009 Paul Wiltshire Deputy Editor of the Bath Chronicle ran a story about Don Foster MP and his expenses claims under the heading “Don Foster's 'utterly unremarkable' flat” in which he stated “I’ve seen those bills but, under slightly convoluted and vaguely surreal data protection rules, I can’t yet tell you how much the work cost. All, however, will be made officially public in the next couple of months - unless the Daily Telegraph gets there first. If he find himself ousted as a bit player in this long-running drama, he knows what he’ll say. His entirely reasonable explanation is that the costs of his second home would be higher if he rented - and that the work simply needed to be done. Leafing through the minutiae of his life, nothing leaps out. The bathroom-kitchen refurb cost what you’d expect such work to cost - especially when you take into consideration that the bath which the shower replaced was on the verge of collapse. The dodgiest item I could find was a kettle. And since it produced a fine cup of coffee, I won’t quibble.”

As Don Fosters expenses claims have been publicly available for the past week, albeit 70% of it redacted, I am surprised the Bath Chronicle has not yet seen fit to tell the taxpayers of Bath what Dons expenses claims amounted to on his one bedroomed ex council flat eg: £196 on bed linen and towels, £7500 on a fitted kitchen, £3500 on a wet room, £26 on a kettle etc., and considering every time a comment has been put on the Bath Chronicle website regarding these expenses claims Paul Wiltshire as web editor has deleted them within 10 minutes the impression being created is that the Bath Chronicle is not as independent as its “Editorial Policy” claims from political party influence.

This is not the only information the Bath Chronicle appears to be intent on keeping from its readers eg: the very serious issue of Mr Paul Strasburger bankrolling the B&NES Liberal Democrat party machine including Don Fosters constituency office to the tune of approximately £40-50,000pa since the 2005 general election. Indeed a comment attached to the above referred to article brought up the serious issue of Paul Strasburger bankrolling not only the B&NES Lib Dems but at the same time the substantial costs of on the run convicted fraudster Michael Brown’s defense costs and bail money. This was dealt with by Paul Wiltshire in the following way: “JD: we have been keeping an eye on this thread, are in touch with Paul Strasburger, and I have removed one particularly outrageous posting. But it has now run its course and will be locked so no more comments can be made. Paul Wiltshire, Deputy editor commented on 28-May-2009 06:41”

Can Paul Wiltshire confirm if he has had a chance to speak to Mr Strasburger yet? If not he can be found on his 65 acre Upper Langridge Farm, Charlcombe, Bath, BA1 9BW as recently confirmed by B&NES Council’s LIST OF APPLICATIONS DETERMINED UNDER DELEGATE AUTHORITY FOR THE PERIOD 26 APRIL 2009 – 24 MAY 2009 which interestingly he purchased from none other than that stalwart of the political establishment Jonathon Dimbleby for £2.2million in 2005 (The Evening Standard (London, England); October 12, 2005)

Come on Bath Chronicle the residents of Bath expect and deserve an impartial and even handed news service not the politically biased, spineless and sycophantic gruel being served up under its present 3rd rate editorial team.