Observer Newspaper

EDM number 1123 in 1990-91, proposed by DN Campbell-Savours on 11/07/1991.

That this House congratulates Miss Julie Flint, award winning Observer journalist for her courage in writing an article chronicling the excesses of the government in Malawi and for fending off attacks from the Observer's editor Donald Trelford and proprietor Tiny Rowland; further congratulates Observer journalist John Merritt and John Sweeney for supporting Julie Flint's right to report objectively what she believed to be the truth; strongly believes that Julie Flint must not resign from the paper but should remain to advance the interests of a free Press against those who would stuff rat sandwiches' down the throats of the Observer's respected journalists; considers the position of the Observer's journalists to be akin to that of diners in a restaurant where the head waiter enjoys no respect from the waiting staff and where the menu comprises only chicken because the proprietor happens to own his own chicken farm; notes that Julie Flint wrote her informative article on 16th June and that within days Donald Trelford quite fairly allowed the London-based Malawi High Commissioner to write a letter in response; notes that this concession was insufficient for Lonhro; notes that a Banda aide then wrote a further article attacking Julie Flint to be followed by an Observer apology which included the words 'regrets any errors' in Flint's report; notes that despite protests from Observer journalists this article was published on 23rd June; and further notes that President Banda was still displeased and wanted a further apology.

This motion has been signed by a total of 1 MPs.