Steve Smith | Rotherham Politics

Received from William Ewart:

I sent this in the the Advertiser a couple of weeks ago in response to a bizarrely long defence of Ahmed in their Letters section

In that same week, before the Tizer’s story deadline, Ahmed admitted to The Huffington Post that he had made the comments ascribed to him in a media broadcast in Pakistan. Many thought these comments to be racist.

The Tizer did not cover this confession and apology.

I feel that the Advertiser too often lets the people of Rotherham down by failings in it’s journalistic standards. I do not blame the Tizer for not printing my letter, maybe it was too long? However shame on them for acting as his apologist which maybe acted to cover his potentially racist behaviour and apology.

Here is the letter I submitted:

“Response to The letters section Lord Ahmed’s Solicitor and friend have been given a far larger than average amount of space to defend his actions.

“I was always taught that letters to the Ed should be short, sharp, punchy and topical. Not long, ramblings by someones solicitor and a friend; ramblings that simply rehash old news.

We already know that Ahmed was not responsible for the death of the motorist. That his texting while driving at speeds up to 70 miles per hour on a rainy motorway was stupid, dangerous and illegal; but not a causal factor in the death. There it is said in two sentences.

These ramblings seem in your editors mind to outweigh the hot news, that in an interview to an internationally renowned news journal Ahmed “completely and unreservedly” apologised to “the Jewish community, to the judiciary, to the newspaper owners” for blaming Jewish-owned media organisations for his imprisonment for dangerous driving.”

His original words, spoken in Urdu to Pakistani media being perceived by some as a racist attack on the Jewish people, and possibly what lead to his recent removal as an ” International Expert “with the Institute For The Research of Genocide – Canada.

Is it a coincidence that his solicitor and a friend write such lengthy letters in the week when he has admitted to very poor judgement and an attempt to blame others for his actions? Could it be a smokescreen?

Your newspaper has a responsibility to investigate and report the truth, or if feeling lazy at least read other newspapers. This was a bit shabby.”

Rik, I am not a racist, indeed I think myself quite the opposite. What I really hate is politicians who play two faced games with their own communities. I am concerned about the quality of representation we get in Rotherham, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation etc.

Wil Ewart