Guinness Publishing And Barnsley

EDM number 1443 in 1994-95, proposed by Eric Illsley on 19/07/1995.

That this House condemns Guinness Publishing for its publication 'Top Towns; which is nothing more than a compilation of uninformative, bland and confusing tables masquerading as a supposed factual and objective survey of 128 towns; believes the publication to be a biased, inaccurate and wholly unwarranted attack on a number of towns particulary those in the north of the country worst affected by recession and industrial decline and regards this as unhelpful to those areas which are struggling to regenerate their economies through inward investment which is now jeopardised by this ludicrous table; further believesthe compilation to be politically motivated in view of the political complexion of the so called top and bottom towns and regards this as a direct attack on Labour politicians and Labour local authorities; in particular sympathises withthe people of Barnsley which has been placed at the bottom of this so called list of top towns despite the efforts of the whole community including the local authority, Chamber of Commerce, the Training and Enterprise Council and many others to improve the area and regards as absolutely childish and incredible that one of the reasons given in this so called factual and objective survey for Barnsley's lowly position is its grim depressed air - not helped by the dour weather; is astounded that Guinness Publishing haveasked the honourable Member for Barnsley Central to table a motion complimenting them for their gratuitous insult to his home town; and calls upon Guinness to apologise unreservedly to the people of Barnsley and withdraw this shoddy book.

This motion has been signed by a total of 43 MPs.