Press Release
Statement: Associated Newspapers refusal to deny that its senior management dressed in Nazi uniform for a private party
21-2-2005 rw222
The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, today issued the following statement following Associated Newspapers failure to deny stories appearing in the newspapers this morning:
‘Associated Newspapers is attempting to avoid answering the very serious allegations made in newspapers this morning regarding a party in Nazi dress held by its most senior management. A continued failure to make any statement on such a serious matter could only be taken as an admission that the allegations are true. If so this issue is directly relevant to the demand that I apologise for remarks made to an Evening Standard reporter after a party.
‘According to the statements in the newspapers this morning: "when David [English] retired as editor of the Daily Mail in order to take over as chairman of Associated Newspapers, he gave a party wherein he and all his editorial staff dressed up like Hitler and various members of the Third Reich. A memorable appearance of the newspaper’s drama critic Jack Tinker as Goebbels brought the house down." This is contained in the book An Unlikely Hero, a history of the Daily Mail, on p171, whose author was assisted in its preparation by the most senior members of the Associated Newspaper group.
‘This has been repeated in public, including by Private Eye, the Daily Express, and the Guardian, with no rebuttal action being issued by Associated Newspapers.
‘An editorial in the Evening Standard today demands that I apologise for my remarks because of "offence given to those who endured the camps". Is it not a hundred times more offensive for the most senior management of Associated Newspapers to dress as leading figures of the Nazi regime?
‘Also according to the editorial in the Evening Standard I have launched "unfounded attacks" on the Evening Standard, "Associated Newspapers, and its sister paper, the Daily Mail." In addition to its more general record are such attacks "unfounded" if the senior management of Associated Newspapers dress at a private party as Nazi leaders?
‘Associated Newspapers cannot refuse to comment on these matters without the conclusion being drawn that they are true.
‘I have therefore written to Associated Newspapers and the editor of the Evening Standard today asking the following questions.
‘1. Does Associated Newspapers deny this event took place? If so why has it issued no rebuttal or legal action over these issues?
‘2. If it took place which members of staff, including which current members of staff, of Associated Newspapers were present?
‘3. How were they dressed?
‘4. What action did Associated Newspapers take against those involved in these actions? Were they forced to apologise? Was disciplinary action taken against them? What investigation was made of these events?’
‘Associated Newspapers are still attempting to avoid issuing any statement on these issues. If this continues it can only be taken that the allegations printed in newspapers this morning are true.’
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