Newsquest editorial director speaks out on BNP advertising

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Updated 14:28 (BST)

Regional newspaper publisher Newquest has defended its decision to carry advertising for the British National Party on some of its websites, according to comments left on the Lancaster Unity blog . Yesterday banner adverts for the party appeared on Newsquest's Dudley, Stourbridge and Bromsgrove titles , with smaller online ads spotted on the websites of the Colchester Gazette and the Echo in Essex.

At time of writing the ads were no longer present on the homepages of the Bromsgrove Advertiser, Dudley News and Stourbridge News.

According to Lancaster Unity, a site opposed to the BNP, Martin McNeill, editorial director for Newsquest Essex responded to a reader's complaint about the advertising.

In his response, McNeill said the publisher would run paid-for advertising from any political parties or candidates standing in current elections.

"I appreciate how strongly many people feel about the BNP, but it would be undemocratic and against the principle of free speech to refuse to accept any party's advertising provided it falls within our guidelines," McNeill reportedly said.

"The Echo has consistently opposed the BNP in our Comment column and will continue to do so. As editor, I have twice been taken to court, unsuccessfully, by a BNP activist who did not like my editorial stance. I also regularly receive BNP hate mail. Despite this, I feel I must defend the right of all parties to take out paid-for advertising is support of their election candidates."

Journalism.co.uk has contacted both McNeill and Newsquest chairman and chief executive Paul Davidson for comment, but at time of writing had not received a response.

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has condemned the publisher's decision in a statement, saying it is 'deeply concerned hat the decision to accept money from a far-right organisation will seriously damage the reputation of the company's titles and its journalists'.

"Newsquest should be ashamed of itself for taking money from an organisation that advocates racist policies that would directly discriminate against the communities these websites serve," said Jeremy Dear, NUJ general secretary, in the release.

"This disgraceful decision not only damages the reputation of the company's online and print titles. Journalists will also find their ability to win the trust and confidence of their communities undermined by this decision."

The union has called on its chapels to raise objections with management if BNP advertising appears on their papers' sites. Bob Smith, chair of the NUJ's Newsquest Group Chapel, said Davidson should apologise.

Last April Archant's Hampstead & Highgate Express defended its decision to run BNP advertising , but later donated revenue from the ads to charity.

In March 2008, editor of Northcliffe's Croydon Advertiser, Ian Carter, explained in a blog post why the title had refused to take BNP advertising .

"The BNP are a legitimate political party and will no doubt argue they should have the same right as the others," said Carter at the time.

"But we've turned them away on the basis I'd feel deeply uncomfortable with any of their material appearing in our publications."

Carter said he believed running the ads would not cost readers or revenue and the paper would continue to run editorial on the BNP 'through gritted teeth'.