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| Hebden Bridge residents launch campaign against Bernard Ingham | Hebden Bridge residents launch campaign against Bernard Ingham |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| A campaign has been launched in Hebden Bridge to get Sir Bernard Ingham removed as a local newspaper columnist over his continued refusal to apologise for his words in the immediate aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster. | |
| Margaret Thatcher's press secretary at the time of the 1989 football disaster, in which 96 people died, has written the Ingham's Eye View column in the Hebden Bridge Times for more than 20 years. | Margaret Thatcher's press secretary at the time of the 1989 football disaster, in which 96 people died, has written the Ingham's Eye View column in the Hebden Bridge Times for more than 20 years. |
| But what has incensed residents, many of whom come originally from Liverpool, is the unrepentance of Ingham for calling Liverpool fans who died that day as a "tanked-up mob", despite the publication in September of an independent panel report wholly clearing fans of any wrongdoing. | But what has incensed residents, many of whom come originally from Liverpool, is the unrepentance of Ingham for calling Liverpool fans who died that day as a "tanked-up mob", despite the publication in September of an independent panel report wholly clearing fans of any wrongdoing. |
| The report revealed how the fiction of drunken, unruly fans was fed by South Yorkshire police to deflect their own culpability for the disaster onto the innocent victims. | The report revealed how the fiction of drunken, unruly fans was fed by South Yorkshire police to deflect their own culpability for the disaster onto the innocent victims. |
| Despite the fact that he lives in Purley, Surrey, Ingham has been typically forthright with his comments on life in the Calder Valley, 200 miles to the north. His views on such matters as the proliferation of windfarms and other green topics have prompted much debate and inspired numerous letters to the paper. | |
| However, a significant proportion of the readership now appears finally to have had enough of the "local lad" turned Surrey exile. A Facebook page entitled "Remove Bernard Ingham as a Hebden Bridge Times columnist" has so far attracted 384 supporters, with the number rising day by day. | |
| Jason Elliott, who lives in Hebden Bridge, set up the Facebook page after a letter he sent to the Hebden Bridge Times received no response – and has never been published. | Jason Elliott, who lives in Hebden Bridge, set up the Facebook page after a letter he sent to the Hebden Bridge Times received no response – and has never been published. |
| One paragraph of his unpublished letter reads: "The disgraceful behaviour of many of the 'pillars of society', prime ministerial aides included, in distorting the truth of those tragic events is a betrayal of the ordinary working people of this country and, frankly, it is completely unacceptable that he [Ingham] should continue to masquerade as a serious commentator via the pages of your publication." | One paragraph of his unpublished letter reads: "The disgraceful behaviour of many of the 'pillars of society', prime ministerial aides included, in distorting the truth of those tragic events is a betrayal of the ordinary working people of this country and, frankly, it is completely unacceptable that he [Ingham] should continue to masquerade as a serious commentator via the pages of your publication." |
| Elliot warned the editor of the Times that continuing to print Ingham's column could have an adverse effect on the paper's circulation, as angry readers choose to look elsewhere for their local news to take a stand against their Surrey-based contributor. | Elliot warned the editor of the Times that continuing to print Ingham's column could have an adverse effect on the paper's circulation, as angry readers choose to look elsewhere for their local news to take a stand against their Surrey-based contributor. |
| By far the majority of the comments on the Facebook page have been in support of the campaign, "The real issue is that of integrity," says one. "This man betrayed his class and the North," is another. | By far the majority of the comments on the Facebook page have been in support of the campaign, "The real issue is that of integrity," says one. "This man betrayed his class and the North," is another. |
| The Northerner has had no response to a request for comment from the editor of the Hebden Bridge Times, but understands that Ingham has been asked by the paper to apologise. | The Northerner has had no response to a request for comment from the editor of the Hebden Bridge Times, but understands that Ingham has been asked by the paper to apologise. |
| The Times has also not dealt with the controversy over Ingham's column in its own pages, despite it being discussed in other local media, such as on the forums of community website Hebweb. Many people are of the view that the paper may keep readers if it engaged with the issue rather than ignoring it. | The Times has also not dealt with the controversy over Ingham's column in its own pages, despite it being discussed in other local media, such as on the forums of community website Hebweb. Many people are of the view that the paper may keep readers if it engaged with the issue rather than ignoring it. |
| There will be a "Hillsborough Fundraiser and Goodbye Ingham" event at the Hebden Bridge Trades Club, featuring Pepperjam, Clogg'eads and Mike Bryson, on 15 February. | There will be a "Hillsborough Fundraiser and Goodbye Ingham" event at the Hebden Bridge Trades Club, featuring Pepperjam, Clogg'eads and Mike Bryson, on 15 February. |