We at The Spectator have no doubt that the Daily Mail reporter did actually visit Rochdale. It's just that her material looks as if it could have been copied from Ed's Coffee House post.
For example:
Coffee House: "The streets are litterless ... the only things blooming on the estate are the flower boxes."
Mail: "The streets of Lower Falinge estate ... no litter on the pavements and window boxes bloomed outside."
Coffee House: "The other major retailer is a betting shop. A local cafe offers a £4.70 breakfast that includes a can of Stella."
Mail: "Of the shops and pubs that aren't boarded up the one attracting the most custom yesterday was the bookmakers, while the cafe offers a £4.70 breakfast that includes a can of Stella."
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As someone from Rochdale, I'm appalled that the Daily Mail are trying to imply it's because of immigrants. We've never had any trouble with race riots or anything like that - everyone pretty much gets along.
ReplyDeleteI read the story in the Mail yesterday and thought it was a bit strange that their reporter had visited te town on a Sunday to write an article about the high numbers of people in the town not working. Surely most people in the town don't work on a Sunday.
ReplyDeleteIf you are going to mention about a cafe selling Stella for breakfast surely the reporter should actually visit the cafe and witness someone drinking Stella with breakfast. If someone is drinking Stella with breakfast it could well be someone returning home after a night shift having a drink to help them sleep.
How does plagiarism 'work' in online newspapers? Many times have I seen the same story in different papers that seem to have been simply cut and pasted.
ReplyDeleteThe irony is that what Liz Hull has done is just as much theft as benefit cheating.
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