Cooke has chosen to resign from the editorial board of the publication in a scathing open letter (published in full below) in which he refers to LIFE as “a propaganda vehicle” and “an often misleading and relentlessly and unjustifiably upbeat publication.”

Cooke also rubbishes the board itself, noting: “It is my firm opinion that the editorial board exists solely to provide a thin veneer of democratic respectability.”

The Salford Star’s Stephen Kingston has been one of the vocal opponents of the plans.

The letter in full:

Recent events have caused me to reconsider my membership of the Life in Salford Editorial Board. I have decided that I am not longer prepared to be complicit in providing the illusion that Life in Salford is anything other than a propaganda vehicle for the Cabinet.

The editorial board has next to no editorial control over the content of Life; no say in its distribution, size or business model (as Cllr. Marry has been so keen to demonstrate). The board meets rarely and meetings are not minuted; there are no terms of reference; and the board appears to have no powers. In short, it is utterly pointless.

It is my firm opinion that the editorial board exists solely to provide a thin veneer of democratic respectability to an often misleading and relentlessly and unjustifiably upbeat publication.

I, and the Lib Dem group, believe that the board should either be scrapped altogether or radically overhauled. Unless the board is suitably reformed the Lib Dem group will boycott the editorial board and play no further part in legitimising council propaganda.

Yours,

Cllr. Steve Cooke, Deputy Leader of the Lib Dem Group

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Comments (4)

3  By Alan Salter , on 14-11-2008 15:56 I have offered to produce Salford Life for half of what it costs now.  I await a reply from John Merry. Report