12.11.09
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“NUJ Left” candidate Richard Simcox today
won the backing of the Socialist Worker in his election bid to become
editor of the Journalist magazine.
The newspaper of the Trotskyist group, the social-ist workers party
(SWP), endorses Simcox
in the election race in its current issue, dated November 14.
It also joins the MediaGuardian commentator, Roy
Greenslade, in attacking Mark Watts – freelance journalist, broadcaster
and FOIA Centre co-ordinator – for his investigation of the SWP-inspired
“NUJ Left” and his unmasking
of Simcox as the far-left political group’s candidate.
The Socialist Worker writes: “The elections for the
editor of the Journalist, the magazine of the national union of journalists
(NUJ), have caused a surprising stir.
“As ballot papers were released, one candidate, Mark Watts, launched
a tirade against what he believes is a secretive ‘cabal’ –
the ‘NUJ Left’.
“‘NUJ Left’ is a grouping of socialists and others
on the left inside the union. It debates and intervenes openly in the NUJ.
“Watts, however, praises himself for uncovering this supposedly
secret cell. He also managed to notice that Socialist Worker is supporting
Richard Simcox for the editor’s post.
“Watts is trying to create an air of suspicion about an open
and democratic section of the union. NUJ members must stop this poison from
spreading, so they can get on with fighting for the future of journalism.”
Watts distributed an e-mail circular to members that unmasked Simcox
as the “NUJ Left” candidate after failing to declare his political
affiliation in his campaign material, including the “election address”,
that was sent via the union to the electorate.
The e-mail circular also revealed that “NUJ Left” was operating
as a cabal – although Watts did not actually say that it was “secretive”
– seeking to control the union’s national executive council (NEC).
His e-mail circular also made clear that the Socialist Worker
had reported that Simcox was the “NUJ Left” candidate although,
contrary to the SWP paper’s latest report, it had not previously endorsed
him explicitly.
Watts said today: “Everyone in ‘NUJ Left’ is no doubt
delighted to see this endorsement from Socialist Worker. I am sure
that Greenslade would be similarly delighted with this ‘vindication’
of his position.
“However, I think that I am better off with the backing of the
Channel 4 News presenter, Jon Snow. He means more to NUJ members than the
Socialist Worker and Greenslade combined.”
Watts also revealed yesterday that “NUJ Left” candidates
stood successfully in the last round of the NUJ’s NEC elections
without declaring their political affiliation.
Watts is standing in the current election
on the basis that the new editor of the Journalist should be an independent
journalist at heart – not a politicised activist. He is not a member
of any political party or group. Snow,
and an army of other
eminent journalists
from all corners
of the media industry, and from across the UK and Ireland, have backed his
election bid.
Comment
on this article
‘NUJ Left’
NEC candidates ‘failed to declare’
Why Greenslade was wrong
about ‘NUJ Left’
Revealed: SWP helped to
re-launch ‘NUJ Left’
‘Hanky panky’
in NUJ election revealed
Union staff campaign for ‘NUJ
Left’ candidate
NUJ extends voting period
following request
Four election candidates
seek vote extension
NUJ peer raises election issue
in parliament
Watts unmasks ‘NUJ
Left’ candidate in circular
C4 News anchor Jon
Snow backs Watts for editor
Former BBC political
reporter supports Watts
Top journalists back
Watts election campaign
More journalists
support election bid by Watts
Watts campaigns for independent
Journalist
FOIA
specialist in election for Journalist editorship
Journalistic background
of Mark Watts
Comments
on Journalist election (7)
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