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Rochdale Observer attracts MP's wrath, offers front page apology
The MEN Media-owned Rochdale Observer is set to print a front page correction tomorrow, after running a story claiming local MP Paul Rowen had claimed expenses of £26,000 for printing, advertising and party political campaigning.
The Press Gazette has revealed that the title will print the penitent statement this weekend, following on from complaints from the Liberal Democrat's lawyers earlier in the week.
According to their reporting, the statement will say: "The Rochdale Observer would like to make it clear it has no information that Paul Rowen MP was using parliamentary expenses to fund Liberal Democrat political activities and apologises if any reader got that impression."
It has also agreed to make a donation to a local charity, the Springhill Hospice.
Rowen himself has issued a statement claiming this week has "probably been the hardest of my political life," adding: "Since the article appeared I've been contacted by scores of Rochdalians shocked at the way the Rochdale Observer has belittled and misrepresented the work that I do.
"CP Scott must be turning in his grave."
Manchester Evening News editor Paul Horrocks handled the complaint on behalf of the Observer.
http://www.rochdaleobserver.co.uk/
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Is this another sign of the impact of cuts at GMG? No wonder Horrocks had to grovel. I expect more mistakes as the cutbacks bite.
The saddest thing is that very little of the story was wrong at all. In fact the only factual error was saying Rowen spent £26,000 in a particular year on printing. That may have been the figure for four years, I'm not sure, but Rowen's correction stating that all he spent on printing was £4,000 or so did not specify a year or time period and was at least as misleading as the original claim. Whether Paul Rowen's arrangements - many of which involved a payment directly or indirectly to the Lib Dem party locally or regionally - were entirely "within the rules" or not quite doesn't seem to be the point here really. The public are annoyed even when things ARE "within the rules" and all the money flowing to his party just looks plain wrong. Rowen also spent SEVEN paragraphs justifying about £10 in snacks.
Looks to this observer as if Paul Rowen, PR Paul if you like, may come to feel that he has shot himself in the foot over this. People will remember a big fuss from him about a 40p banana AND the certain fact that a lot of their money is going to Rowen's political party. Within the rules or no that will not feel right to many of his voters.
Everytime I hear Rowan it makes me want to pull my ears out.
Looking at Chris Paul's website, it was David Ottewell doing the write up. Very unusual. Ottewell rarely writes up stories for outside of the M60. The local journos were not on message - I bet there will be more cuts for the Rochdale Observer.