Axed Johnston Press Editor Misleads For Cuadrilla
Some of Cuadrilla’s lies (like the one about the police asking them to move the barriers to the centre of the road at Preston New Road, or the one about fracking pads being the size of a single rugby pitch) seem to slide their way seamlessly into the local press with no questions being asked. Others are more insidious like the suggestion made by ex LSE editor Steve Singleton to a local councillor last week.
Mr Singleton (who now works for PPS group, one of Cuadrilla’s many PR agencies, but styles himself “Cuadrilla Local Community Advisor“) wrote to a local councillor stating of the protests : “Obviously there is a serious impact on traffic movement and inevitable delays for motorists. Most crucially ambulances will need to be diverted taking longer to reach destinations.”
We were particularly irritated by the claim that the protests might have affected emergency vehicles as, to our knowledge, the only delays to blue light vehicles have occurred as a result of Cuadrilla’s traffic management and their own blocking of the road.
We decided to find out the truth from a senior police officer. The “Bronze” commander at the site confirmed this morning what we already knew.
To his knowledge no emergency vehicles have so far been delayed by any action taken by protesters against the fracking development at Preston New Road.
We think Mr Singleton should refrain from making unsustainable claims like this in future and should write to those who he contacted earlier with this incorrect suggestion to put the record straight. We also hope that the local press will take his “alternative facts” with a few pinches of salt in future.
