Manchester job cuts raised in Commons debate
19 March 2009
MPs expressed concern and shock at the Guardian Media Group's decision to axe journalists' jobs at the Manchester Evening News and close down its weekly local paper offices with further job losses during a Commons topical debate on local and regional news.
Andrew Gwynne, Labour MP for Denton and Reddish, made points about the broader effects of such cuts on local democracy in comments that were echoed by MPs of all parties during the debate. He said:
"Local newspapers provide quality, independent journalism; they hold authorities to account and campaign on behalf of readers, to professional standards of fairness and accuracy and with no agenda other than the public interest. It is more important than ever to preserve those principles, but the closure of local newspaper offices will have a profound effect on them. The founding fathers of The Manchester Guardian, as it was originally called, and in particular its long-time editor, C.P. Scott, would be appalled and saddened by the developments."
Read the full text of the debate
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