View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
March 6, 2003updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

Blair responds to Leader’s readers

By Press Gazette

It’s not often that a British Prime Minister appeals exclusively to the readers of one local newspaper in an impassioned defence of his policies.

But after the Wrexham Evening Leader – covering north-east Wales and Chester – had invited readers to voice their feelings on the impending Iraq conflict with the promise that all letters would then be sent to Downing Street, Tony Blair’s reaction was immediate.

The readers’ response was huge. The letters page was swamped with opinions – largely against military action – and the pages showing the strength of local feeling were duly dispatched to the Prime Minister’s office.

The result was the publication of Blair’s reply to Leader readers as a two-page spread under the strap headline “As the letters to the Evening Leader show, I am not taking this position for short-term political popularity.”

Blair argued against specific points raised by the paper’s readers and stated emphatically that he did not want military conflict but that Saddam Hussein might force the hand of war.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network