Chancellor Believes Local Newspapers More Trusted Than Nationals
Alistair Darling told a Newspaper Conference lunch that he believes local newspapers are more trusted than national newspapers.
The Chancellor also revealed at the event last week that the UK’s banking system was just hours from collapse before the government stepped in last year.
Mr Darling spoke about Northern Rock, the car manufacturing industry – and admitted a fondness for chocolate digestives.
He talked of the importance of local media and the pressures facing the industry, adding: “I think people do trust their local newspapers more than they do national newspapers”.
He joked: “One of the most interesting things, as you will know working for newspapers outside of London, is that I’ll say something here, you will write it up, and it will appear in your paper tomorrow.
“Then about two or three days later, a national newspaper will phone up and say ‘I’ve got this really good exclusive’, you recognise it and say ‘that’s what I said to that newspaper about four days earlier’.”
The lunch was exclusively attended by regional press political journalists and chaired by Western Morning News political editor Matt Chorley.
For further information, please contact Paul Sinker on 020 763 274 24 or sinkerp@newspapersoc.org.uk.