3rd Oct 2013 16:30
LONDON (Alliance News) - An online campaign appealing to companies advertising with the Daily Mail has picked up steam Thursday, calling for them to pull their advertisements from the publication as the row between the newspaper and Labour leader Ed Miliband continues.
The Mail on Sunday editor, Geordie Greig, has apologised Thursday for a Daily Mail reporter attending the memorial service of Ed Milliband's uncle following controversy over an article it published about his father, Ralph Miliband.
The Daily Mail ran an article about Ed Miliband's father headlined 'The Man Who Hated Britain', sparking controversy. Miliband subsequently wrote to owner of the Daily Mail, Lord Rothermere, after a reporter attended a memorial event for his uncle seeking further details for an article in the paper.
"Sending a reporter to my late uncles memorial crosses a line of common decency," said Miliband in the letter, "I believe it a symptom of the culture and practices of both the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday."
ITV reported Thursday that Lord Rothermere had told them that the incident was under review by the Daily Mail Group, and that the group would respond in due course.
Chairman of the Press Complaints Commission, Lord Hunt of Wirral, issued a statement Thursday on the matter. "The Editor of the Mail on Sunday has accepted that something appears to have gone badly wrong at his newspaper in this instance," Hunt said, "I also note that he has apologised "unreservedly" and has suspended two members of staff while the incident is investigated."
He explained that Miliband and his family had not made any complaint to the PCC, but given the nature of the issue said the PCC would continue to monitor the matter closely. "We would, of course, take forward a complaint from the Miliband family, should we receive one." Hunt said, but explained that at this point it would be inappropriate to comment further. The PCC has received 726 complaints relating to the article so far.
Channel 4 News Head of Communications, Hayley Barlow, said on Twitter that Channel 4 understands the two members of staff suspended to be Amy Iggulden and Jo Knowsley, this has not been confirmed by the paper.
The online campaign has been launched to appeal to advertisers and has attracted bigger hitters, such as journalist Owen Jones and former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott. It calls for companies including Waitrose, Sainsburys, The Cooperative, Marks and Spencer and Natwest to pull their advertisements from the Mail. The companies are yet to comment.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has also spoken out against the paper, saying in his weekly radio phone-in show that "if anyone excels in... vilifying a lot about modern Britain, it's the Daily Mail."
Journalist and former Director Of Communications for Tony Blair, Alistair Campbell, has launched a petition calling for Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre to debate with him, or another broadcast journalist, in a live television debate on the subject.
By Hana Stewart-Smith; [email protected]; @HanaSSAllNews
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