Monday, 16 June 2008

Read All About It

There are grumbles aplenty among the chattering classes in Wales that the newspapers Welsh voters choose to read often given scant coverage to events in the National Assembly in Cardiff Bay.

Those grumbles may be a little quieter today, given Alun Cairns's breakthrough into what are known in Welsh media circles as London-based newspapers, journals whose editors have curiously suspected that news from the Welsh Assembly may not shift that many copies.

The News of the World, Sunday Mirror, Observer, Independent, People, Sunday Times and Sunday Telegraph all reported Mr Cairns's fall from grace after his remarks about "greasy wops".

The Tory blogosphere remains so focused on David Davis it doesn't appear to have noticed that not only has Mr Cairns lost a couple of Assembly roles (arguably not that big news) but David Cameron and Caroline Spelman have also suspended him as a Tory candidate pending an investigation by Ms Spelman (who herself may be investigated over her expenses - it's confusing, but do keep up).

The ruthless move to suspend him does show how desperate the Tories are to avoid anything that could possibly de-rail their chances of an election victory.

If and when Mrs Spelman - and Tory bloggers - do look at the case they may consider that his punishment does seem quite severe for someone of previous good character.

Perhaps Mrs Spelman should visit some of the excellent Italian cafes in Mr Cairns's constituency to assess the offence caused by his comments?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Perhaps Spelman could ask her nanny to visit the Vale...