Angela Haggerty sacked from Herald

[Sparkle 53,589]

No surprises but the BBC jumps on the bandwagon from the point of view of the NUJ statement

(which has been withdrawn)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-35439391

The National Union of Journalists has accused The Herald of "pandering to the mob" after columnists had contributions pulled amid a row with Rangers FC.
The newspaper apologised for what it said was an inaccuracy by Graham Spiers in a piece on sectarian singing. Mr Spiers later stood by his column.
Angela Haggerty said she had been sacked from sister paper the Sunday Herald after "expressing solidarity".
The Herald said it had to take action after its apology was "undermined".
In a statement, the NUJ said it had written to The Herald's editor "condemning the pulling of columns of Angela Haggerty and Graham Spiers following intervention by the football club".
'Commercial meddling'

Image caption
The row began after a column written by sports journalist Graham Spiers
NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet said: "It is outrageous that commercial meddling has led the Herald to sack a respected columnist.
"This pandering to the mob does the freedom of journalism and the reputation of the Herald no favours. We call on the editor to reinstate these columnists at once."
Dominic Bascombe, assistant organiser at NUJ Scotland, added that the axing of Ms Haggerty's column "sends a message that The Herald is unwilling to stand up for its contributors and is willing to sacrifice journalists when commercial interests are involved. This is totally unacceptable".
In a statement, Herald and Times Group editor-in-chief Magnus Llewellin said Mr Spiers's column in December "made a claim about an un-named member of the six-strong board of Rangers" that "presented a legal issue which had to be addressed".
"The issue was whether we could defend in court a contentious statement and the advice given was that we could not," he said.
"Finally, on clear legal advice, we were left with no option other than to apologise and seek to draw a line under the matter.
Our titles have a long history of supporting quality journalism and defending free speech and robust comment
Magnus Llewellin, Herald and Times Group editor-in-chief
"After the apology was published we had to abide by it and the spirit in which it was published. Unfortunately that apology was then undermined and we had to take appropriate action."
'Difficult decision'
Mr Llewellin added: "Our titles have a long history of supporting quality journalism and defending free speech and robust comment. This made all the more difficult the action we had to take.
"While one of our advertisers is on the board at Rangers that was never an issue and we shall continue to report and comment on the pressing issues of the day without fear or favour."
Shortly after the statement was issued Sunday Herald editor Neil Mackay said on Twitter: "Important: the decision to remove @AngelaHaggerty as Sunday Herald columnist was not taken by me but by the editor-in-chief Magnus Llewellin.
"When it comes to counting friends, let me say @AngelaHaggerty is a very dear friend of mine, and will always be a friend to me."
The issue relates to an online opinion piece which Mr Spiers wrote for The Herald.
'Fully committed'
Earlier this week, the newspaper's online edition stated: "In a recent column for heraldscotland, Graham Spiers said an un-named Rangers director had praised the song The Billy Boys.
"He also questioned the willingness of Rangers directors to tackle offensive behaviour, and The Herald and Graham Spiers accept this was inaccurate.
"We acknowledge every member of the Rangers board is fully committed to fighting bigotry and offensive chanting, wherever it occurs in Scottish football, and that the club is actively tackling the issue."
The statement ended: "We apologise for any embarrassment that may have been caused to the members of the Rangers board."
With the issue attracting considerable comment on social media, Sunday Herald columnist Ms Haggerty tweeted: "Solidarity with @GrahamSpiers, again being targeted by the mob for telling some harsh truths."
On Friday, Ms Haggerty tweeted: "I have been sacked from my Sunday Herald column after expressing solidarity with @GrahamSpiers."
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[siddiqi_drinker 14,635]

8 minutes ago, K.A.I said:

I don't hate the board - how you can bring this crap into it and twist it to suit your own wee agenda is baffling 

this has nothing to do with the club it was Park on a personal level and he got a result that all Rangers fans should be delighted with 

unless it's you attempting to use it for something it isn't to point score which is a bit sad 

try and not derail the good news thread anymore 

Aye but it suits the tarriers to believe the current narrative that this is the big bad establishment club flexing their muscle again.  Britney and te Hag will  eo  the official tarrier Martyrs wall of fame.

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,546]

23 minutes ago, coopsleftboot said:

superb news.

 

Meanwhile, elsewhere on this forum there are people claiming Rangers are doing nothing about defending our club.  Just because they're not shouting from the rooftops about it doesn't mean it's not being done.  Here's the evidence

so a boardmember pulls advertising money from the herald that comes from said board members OWN business, is now rangers doing?

[ChesterPerry 472]

11 minutes ago, Sparkle said:

I wonder if the many bleeding hearts to have tweeted the unemployable 'Captain' may have second thoughts now that The Herald has released the clarifying statement.

I'm disappointed in Ruth Davidson taking the hyperbole at face value, I thought as a politician she would check her facts before weighing in. 

Disappointed in that too mate but it shows how dangerous these rats can be with their lies. The Hags statement on bellacaledonia was fronted by a picture of the Rangers support.

 

Her sacking had fuck all to do with the club or the support - although youd be hard pressed to find any of us who disagree with Brother Magnus' decision.

She was sacked for publicly undermining her employer - something that would happen to everyone. They are in full victim mode now, where they feel most settled. Enjoy the laughing at them, this is a victory of great significance.

[Orange Persson 547]

Oh well, that is going to hurt the pocket of Ms AH.  

   Did yer maw no tell ye aboot that mooth?  

  I never had the pleasure of reading any of her musings. Was she any good?

[K.A.I 36,183]

3 minutes ago, ChesterPerry said:

Disappointed in that too mate but it shows how dangerous these rats can be with their lies. The Hags statement on bellacaledonia was fronted by a picture of the Rangers support.

 

Her sacking had fuck all to do with the club or the support - although youd be hard pressed to find any of us who disagree with Brother Magnus' decision.

She was sacked for publicly undermining her employer - something that would happen to everyone. They are in full victim mode now, where they feel most settled. Enjoy the laughing at them, this is a victory of great significance.

You called all this correct mate good work 

[siddiqi_drinker 14,635]

6 minutes ago, ChesterPerry said:

Disappointed in that too mate but it shows how dangerous these rats can be with their lies. The Hags statement on bellacaledonia was fronted by a picture of the Rangers support.

 

Her sacking had fuck all to do with the club or the support - although youd be hard pressed to find any of us who disagree with Brother Magnus' decision.

She was sacked for publicly undermining her employer - something that would happen to everyone. They are in full victim mode now, where they feel most settled. Enjoy the laughing at them, this is a victory of great significance.

Sadly the Internet provides too many Platforms that allow these peddlers of hate to proliferate their bile and lies.  Sadly in Scotland the more obtuse their misrepresentation of the facts, the more they are believed.

Did the Herald actually release a statement?

 

[Smile 26,610]

10 minutes ago, Blueshoff said:

She never have had a job in the first place if it wasn't for the Rangers.

 

And the Billy Boys IS a great song.

This is true hating Rangers in Scotland seems to be a stepping stone into the media. She should be thanking us.

[LeeWallaceRFC 3,920]

[ChesterPerry 472]

4 minutes ago, siddiqi_drinker said:

Sadly the Internet provides too many Platforms that allow these peddlers of hate to proliferate their bile and lies.  Sadly in Scotland the more obtuse their misrepresentation of the facts, the more they are believed.

Did the Herald actually release a statement?

 

Yes its on the site I think and has been posted a couple of pages ago on here.

[tannerall 25,935]

So now she's got the sack, would be great if she put it over her head.

Would improve her appearance no end. 

[bluedylan 11,555]

39 minutes ago, yermaw145 said:

I can't believe what passes for journalism in this nation of ours - border personality disorders blogging to their pish-stained acolytes.

nailed it in one sir

[Phil 1,150]

Her blatant unbiased hatred of everything related with our club has been evident for far too long.

"No place in a democratic Scotland"

As we say in "democratic Scotland", get it right up Ye ya torn faced cow.

[bluedylan 11,555]

38 minutes ago, Sparkle said:

I wonder if the many bleeding hearts to have tweeted the unemployable 'Captain' may have second thoughts now that The Herald has released the clarifying statement.

I'm disappointed in Ruth Davidson taking the hyperbole at face value, I thought as a politician she would check her facts before weighing in. 

She will backtrack quicker than an Italian tank regiment come election time

[coopsleftboot 5,512]

29 minutes ago, K.A.I said:

I don't hate the board - how you can bring this crap into it and twist it to suit your own wee agenda is baffling 

this has nothing to do with the club it was Park on a personal level and he got a result that all Rangers fans should be delighted with 

unless it's you attempting to use it for something it isn't to point score which is a bit sad 

try and not derail the good news thread anymore 

I'm doing the opposite of derailing, I'm praising the board for their action.  After all, the Herald were approached by "representatives of the Rangers Board".  On the back of McLaughlins ban, dealing with MASH threats etc., it's heartening that the club is taking steps to deal with issue that concerns every one of us.

I'm sure we all agree that, either individually, or collaboratively, it's not before time that board members are taking the steps we've all been demanding they take to protect our good name.

[bluedylan 11,555]

1 minute ago, Phil said:

Her blatant unbiased hatred of everything related with our club has been evident for far too long.

"No place in a democratic Scotland"

As we say in "democratic Scotland", get it right up Ye ya torn faced cow.

That would be the democratic Scotland that said NO,yet she could never really accept that.

[Phil 1,150]

Just now, bluedylan said:

That would be the democratic Scotland that said NO,yet she could never really accept that.

Exactly. Only democratic when it suits the poor wee oppressed midden.

[SpidermansGaffer 2,552]

Brilliant news, get it right up the ugly bitter wee hoor! Fairly made my Friday ??

[Ben10 2,272]

And this nonsense about Graham Speirs being a Rangers fan, how superficial that plot seems to be. It's almost as if he worked it into his routine from the moment of his comedic conception.

If he's a Rangers fan, or was, or there is any evidence to suggest he was; then he's either a native informant who has seized upon an opportunity to profit from commenting on the 'anti-intellectual' element of the Rangers support at it's weakest, or he is suffering from the worst case of Stockholm syndrome since Big Pussy Bonpensiero.

[The Rangers FC 751]

Seen #chatshitgetsacked on twitter 

[Vanoli 4,625]

Good

Spin on it ya fuckin boot 

[Blue Nosed Babe 20,680]

So she was sacked for Gross Misconduct.

That has Fuck All to do with Rangers and everything to do with her own stupidity

[CoplandStandBear 995]

Hugh Keevins talking about it on Clyde 1

[Carsons Dog 9,878]

Faith schools have ruined this country

 

Breeding grounds of division, hatred and suspicion

[Smile 26,610]

3 minutes ago, Blue Nosed Babe said:

So she was sacked for Gross Misconduct.

That has Fuck All to do with Rangers and everything to do with her own stupidity

This is it, she's been dragged up to blame all her problems on Rangers and the hate is ingrained in her.