We have taken the decision to publish this letter online (and others) as it was sent to the Lincolnshire Echo Editor following their decision recently to publish a letter from a Labour supporter which contained various unsubstantiated attacks and erroneous information and contrary to previous such letters concerning political opponents, was NOT given the right of reply (The Echo ‘Lawyers' must have been on holiday, how inconsistent of them.)
Subsequently only one of the supportive four letters we have also been sent copies of has been published offering a contrary view to that put forward by the Lincoln Labour Party. We are aware of at least one other hard copy letter and there may be others, only the Echo would know…
Dear Sir
I was sorry to read Keith Weller’s letter to the Echo last week attacking Karl McCartney over his supposedly ‘sexist tweet’ about All Women Shortlists. No doubt penning such a vitriolic and cantankerous rant had been a cathartic experience for him. However in the interest of fairness and democracy, he really should make sure any accusation is in fact accurate. I am sure Mr McCartney takes all brickbats and personal insults in his stride, it goes with the job, but the point is that the accusation made over Mr McCartney’s supposed ‘tweet’, was just plain wrong. Mr McCartney did not make any response to a tweet by a County Councillor in relation to All Women Shortlists, sexist or otherwise. Those who are keen to jump on the bandwagon and make political play of this, should, with respect, check that the ‘tweet’ was indeed from the same Karl McCartney who is the MP for Lincoln (wrong, it wasn’t) before sounding off and trying to make mischief.
Whilst on the subject of fairness and democracy, it is very sad that the Labour Party evidently consider that women are so inferior to men, that the only way a woman will be successful in the selection process is if they remove men from the democratic process and impose All Women Shortlists. The Lincoln Labour Party’s espousal of this sexist and offensive system of political selection is demeaning and patronising to women, in addition to being flagrantly undemocratic for the rest of society.
Lincoln and the electorate deserve better.
Yours faithfully
Jacqui Lane