A council has accused a bus company of censoring its attempts to encourage people to vote in Greater Manchester's congestion charge referendum.‘Censoring’…? You mean, the bus company, a private company, declined to run your ad? As they are perfectly entitled to do?
Get a new dictionary, Councillor Dave:
Stockport Council, which opposes the charge, wanted to place its adverts on Stagecoach buses in the run up to the ballot - but the firm refused.Listen, you jumped up little council functionary – the bus company is independent, and therefore has no moral or legal obligation to run propaganda for the council. If they don’t wish to carry your advert, they don’t have to.
Council leader Dave Goddard said the company was censoring a legitimate information campaign.
That isn’t censorship – that’s free choice…
Councillor Dave Goddard, said: "They are censoring an entirely legitimate and proper campaign to tell people in Stockport about the congestion charge, the impact of transport improvements on Stockport and to encourage people to vote in the approaching referendum.Now, I’m not in favour of congestion charges, but in this instance, Davey boy, it’s your behaviour that is disgraceful and has no place in a modern democracy.
"Stockport people deserve accuracy and clarity, and Stagecoach should be willing to be part of that.
"Their behaviour is disgraceful and has no place in a modern democracy."
The bus company disagrees with your viewpoint, agrees with the proposed congestion charge and as a free company, can choose not to carry these adverts – they are not an arm of the state and that’s their right.
Although I suspect if you, and people who think like you, got their way, that’d come to an end. Your petulant comments to the media prove just how unsuitable for public office you really are…
Mark Threapleton, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester, said the company was within its rights to reject the advertising.Yup, totally.
He said: "We believe that the TIF package has the potential to bring a host of improvements to public transport and the environment in Greater Manchester including more peak time buses, more reliable bus services and cleaner air quality for everyone in the area.After all, it’s not like Stockport Council don’t have a website from which to run their ads, is it….?
"We don't always accept all adverts we are requested to display and have universal policies on certain types of advertising including those which are not consistent with our beliefs on the future of public transport.
"We took the decision to carry our own adverts on our own vehicles and are therefore not accepting any other related adverts from third parties."
Note the use of the phrase "modern democracy", emphasis on 'modern'. In a real democracy, a company wouldn't be obliged to run political propaganda on behalf of the state, but in a 'modern' democracy they are.
ReplyDelete"In a real democracy, a company wouldn't be obliged to run political propaganda on behalf of the state, but in a 'modern' democracy they are."
ReplyDeleteIndeed. And the attitude shown by Dippy Dave is spreading, I fear...
But we in the private sector are foolish, and do not know what is good for us.
ReplyDeleteOnly those in the public sector, unencumbered by the stresses and strains of having to earn their salary, are able to think with the clarity and vision that is needed to truly understand issues and decide what is best for all of us.
For, 'tis true, those involved in day-to-day decisions do not know what is best. Only those distanced from the immediate problem can rise above petty practicalities and SEE THE LIGHT!
And that is why civil servants ned a pay rise funded by us all - so that they can be less encumbered and more able to tell us how to run every sodding last little detail of our lives.
Sorry, I have to go now and sort some rubbish. Then I need to set the alarm so that I can put the rubbish out between 7:00 and 7:30 tomorrow morning. I wish I was joking.
(actually, I going to be a rebel and put my rubbish out the night before! :-D)
"actually, I going to be a rebel and put my rubbish out the night before!"
ReplyDeleteI always do. And I smile fondly sometimes, as I put a carton marked 'Not recyclable' into the orange bag. Good job I shred all my personal documents first...
Bwahahaha!!!
Of course the Bus Company may be expected to be a major beneficiary of the charge if, as its proponents expect, people transfer to "public" transport. So the company was never going to bite the hand that pays the subsidy. As a Mancunian, if I were insane enough to travel to my place of work by any other means than my car, a one hour journey will become a four hour one and each way at that. I would be better off not working at all.
ReplyDeleteTTFN
Michael G7AZW