Leicester Mercury political correspondent
An arrogant response to a fair question
Private Eye claimed this week that Fergus Sheppard is acting as Leicestershire County Council leader David Parsons’ personal PR man one day a week, paid for by taxpayers.
Yesterday the press office denied that this was the case, saying he had a more general role overseeing the council’s reputation.
I followed this up with a simple query today, to clarify the situation. My message read:
Private Eye stated that Fergus was working as David Parsons’ personal PR man. At a time of cuts that’s a statement likely to damage the reputation of David Parsons and the council itself. As one of the communications department’s roles is to promote the authority as a “well-respected authority” on the national stage, one would expect the council to have requested a full correction of this alleged error. Could you confirm this is the case? Could you also confirm when we can expect to see the apology and correction in print?
A simple question. If the council has been lied about, surely it will be demanding a correction and apology. After all, we’ve got two top communications “gurus” in charge whose job it is to defend the council’s reputation on the national stage. This would be a no-brainer for most PR chiefs.
Sadly, I’ve just received a response which began: “Nothing to add on Private Eye, David. You have our answers to all your questions on the facts.”
Why not? If the council isn’t demanding an apology then one must ask why it is hesitant to press the issue. As they’re unwilling to respond fully, feel free to draw your own conclusions.
What breathtaking arrogance from a public body.
about 1 year ago
Disgusting… they either lied to you a reporter for a respected local paper…
or are incompetent…
about 1 year ago
The problem we all have is proving what PE is saying is correct. I really doubt that one day a week Fergus comes to work wearing a different uniform to become the PR man. I would also suggest that even if you did a FoI request you would hit a brick wall – hard.
The Kremlin (County Hall) Communications Department will do all it can to kill this story – in the same way as the two Jag’s story.
History shows that as dictators go deeper into the bunker – the steel doors close. But then the dictators find that they have no territory to command.
At a national level – the Torygraph has done its job yet again; although most of what it is telling me is not unexpected. But the stories have had an effect.