Media Coverage regarding Parliamentary Shocker

The blogpost on my MP’s misconduct has been picked up by local newspaper The Henley Standard, which has a circulation of over 11,000. The chief reporter sells the exclusive story on the front page, by introducing the aspect of “death threats” received by the MP. The headline and byline is sensationalist but successfully attention-grabbing. The article itself, though, is good and lengthy in my opinion, and continues later on an inside page. I am quoted excellently and get the last word.

Following the publication of the article, regional TV news covered the story:

The MP for Henley, John Howell’s confirmed he’s received a series of threatening emails. They followed comments he’d posted on the internet about the conflict between Israel and Palestinians.

(BBC Oxford news, 22/3/2012, 10pm)

The Oxford Mail with a daily circulation of over 20k, then ran a Brief, reading:

Tory MP gets death threats

Henley MP John Howell has received death threats after an email exchange about the Middle East.

Mr Howell received the threatening messages after an exchange with Watlington-based Harry Fear about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Mr Howell defended the Israelis and received the threats after the emails were published on Mr Fear’s website. The MP said he had been given security advice by the police.

(Oxford Mail, In Brief, p. 3, 27/3/2012) 

As all reports crucially failed to make mention: (a) my original email to Howell was an open, public message, as was his response; and (b) his Parliamentary email address is in the public domain because he is an MP.

Some reactionary blogposts have categorised me as ‘Pro-Palestinian’. I most sharply expressed my position towards such statements in June 2011, in writing: “I am not Pro-Palestinian: I am Pro:- international law, universal human rights, self-determination, and peace”.

For the record, my ‘position on the rockets that landed on Israel’ is straightforward. Posers of such questions should to watch the following video:

https://web.archive.org/web/20170222023850/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Lm7qM1IAwc