On Wed 20th Nov, the Liverpool Echo ran an article which was almost embarrassing in its groveling approach to Jim Keight the leader of the Laborites here on Knowsley. The lead heading announced " Why the Germans want to honour 'our Jim' and the article itself is typical of today's Journalists who seem to be unable to criticise local politicians and are resigned instead to going along with the herd and churning out articles like Paddy Shennan's. This article is very much the blunt edge of Journalism.

The article starts off with the old sympathy vote by mentioning Keight's Uncles who died in the carnage of WW1, plus his father who fought. The mention of the War was due to the Article on Keight concerning him being awarded a Medal off the Germans. The medal is grandly titled "The Cross of the Order Of Merit of The Federal Republic of Germany" Keight when asked why he should be awarded this medal, replied "I don't Know", indeed many wonder why this dodgy politician was awarded the OBE some years back. But historically, selling out the Working Class is always awarded by some trinket or other by the royals here in the UK. We bet Keight got a real kick out of groveling to the Queen, but as we all know, the discredited Royals themselves had dubious links to the Nazi's which ties in nicely with Keight's recent Award from a Country who's links to fascism are not quite history.

Below, more German connections as the German Police visit Knowsley. The Eurocrats want to build a European Police force which gives German Police the right to kick in our doors.

The Echo article lets Keight have pretty much his own say and the Echo's loyalty to Keight is made a bit more clear when it transpires that Keight once worked for the Echo from 1953 to 1983. Keight brags that as a proof reader he could "read documents faster than most people" Funny, but how come his dazzling skills never picked out the Sonae Contact as being disadvantageous to the population of Kirkby? The Echo's Paddy Shennan seems to be under pressure to simply let Keight have a half page advert for his considerable Ego. Keight rises to the occasion even supplying a picture of a younger so called 'council firebrand' photo of Keight, shirt unbuttoned at the chest. It would not surprise us if Keight was a typical loud mouthed Liverpool Left wing type back then. It seems Liverpool is full of former 'firebrands' who have had that 'fire' somewhat dampened, or in Keight's case, extinguished

Below, Jim Keight, shirt unbuttoned. No Comment!



The award was given because Knowsley was twinned with a German town 'Stadt Moers' back in 1979. The Twinning Idea was a great way for Councillors to justify an expenses paid trip abroad, and despite some locals being picked to go over there, the odds are the average kid in Kirkby won't be going on a freebie to Germany. Looking at the actual contribution the Twinning had made to most people, and the costs involved, the Stadt Moers idea seems to be a another waste of precious resources. Most of us in Kirkby and doubtless many in Stadt Moers would be glad of the extra money being used to improve local facilities for the local community.

The Echo article quotes Keight as saying "Just before my 70th Birthday I sat down and seriously thought about leaving ", unfortunately he didn't take up that option and instead chose to hang on in a few years more to see what else he could feather his nest with. For instance, the recent Sonae arrangement shows Keight as someone who is prepared to poison the people of Kirkby just for profit. Keight's contribution to our local community has been appalling. His image as portrayed by the Echo is far from the image he has in reality. Whilst Keight has been behind numerous deals to attract big business to Kirkby, the actual community has come a very poor second place with the effects of living on top of a massive industrial estate having a detrimental effect on the health and wellbeing of the community. The Council have sat by whilst Kirkby has become a place where we have security guards in sweet shops and heroin has destroyed a generation with another waiting to replace them. Keight should walk through the streets here, but he won't. As he admits himself "Once you get into this life, it does get a hold of you. You start to realise you can get things done." Keight certainly got things done alright. He got things done which benefited him and those who he was loyal to. What he never done was ever get things done for the people he was supposedly there to serve. Keight serves himself above all.

Below, Keight almost falling over trying to impress another German connection. The royal family's scrounging Son, Prince Andrew who recently visited Knowsley.



The Echo, like most 'local' papers, seems to marginalise debate to the point where articles like this stand out, not due to any particular journalistic skills, but simply because it raises issues which are being squeezed out of the mainstream press. Opposition in the media itself is reduced to whatever mainstream party is in opposition and anything else is ignored as the Media, which is controlled by Major Business Interests, will never allow Journalists to sway too far from the current social or political ideas. These 'ideas' far from naturally occurring, are planted into the media to both gauge public opinion and shape it. The Keight Article was an example of this to some extent, the article is kind to Keight, but it could just as well have poured scorn on this attempt to give Keight some latter day version of the Iron Cross. The Liverpool Echo has become more tabloidish in its make up and outlook in recent years. Critical Articles are few and far between, and Investigative reporting seems to be at an all time low. It is sad indeed that the Journalists we produce nowadays seem only interested in crawling up the ladder, appeasing editors and in turn, leaving us few Journalists who seem to want to take a chance and go against the current political mainstream. Judging by the Journalistic 'talents' let loose in the two free papers we have here in Knowsley, it seems Journalism as we know it is dying. We used to berate Communist Russia for the propaganda they forced Journalists to churn out, but the UK is not too far behind. A journalist here swimming against the tide of popular opinion, won't be shot, they'll just find the phone doesn't ring.

There will be more stuff on Mr Keight, and anyone with any tales of Keight is welcome to contact us and submit a news item or comedy item maybe! Thanks to Keight for not answering his emails. Obviously the Council has great difficulty coming to terms with all this new fangled stuff like email and websites. Check out our computer help section where we will have a link to an easy to follow guide to emailing. Cheers!

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