"I Don't Like The Sauce Much", Says The Gander...

A firm which is against plans for a Manchester congestion charge has defended a "cut and paste" e-mail campaign involving its employees.

Really? Defended it against whom?

Why, a bunch of campaigners for the congestion charge, naturally:

But "Yes" campaigners said the move was "astonishing".

A spokesman said: "It is astonishing that a major multi-national company like Kellogg's should tell their staff that the appropriate way to respond to an official consultation is to "cut and paste" their employer's opinions."

'Tell' their staff? You mean, tell them it's part of their job, or maybe threaten them with the sack if they don't do this? Why, yes. That's dreadful.

Is that what they are doing? Well, no:

Its staff have been asked to respond to the consultation with reasons copied from a "No" campaign website.

They were asked in an e-mail sent by communications director Chris Wermann. He said that Unite, the union operating at the site, was also against the charge on behalf of its members, and he defended giving workers the chance to air their views in this way.

He said: "It is very clear, if people feel it is appropriate to them they have the opportunity to do so.

"It puts them under no pressure as individuals to sign up to this.

"We have acted fairly to keep our employees informed."

So, quite clearly all Kellog's are doing is putting forward all the reasons not to vote for the congestion charge for their employees to use if they wish to vote 'no'.

And if they wish to vote 'yes' instead? Why, they can go to the website of the Quango set up to push the congestion charge and download an identical set of talking points putting the opposite view. Just like all pressure groups provide...

In fact, as it says at the website, they wouldn't need to if they were a business - they are mailing them themselves!

During the consultation, we are sending a special weekly update to thousands of businesses by email, with information about the commercial case for the proposals and details of how you can get answers to your questions.

Once again, pressure groups and political activists are whining about the same tactics they use themselves being employed by their opponents. Awww, diddums!

I wonder, if Kellogg's had been in the 'yes' camp and had sent this round on the company email, would the watermelons be in such high dudgeon?

Nope, I bet they wouldn't either.