Fight to Save Our Newspapers and Media

A local newspaper can be the life-blood of a local community. For that reason I have campaigned again and again to stop the closure and destruction of many, many, local newspapers over the past year.

The value of a newspaper like the Gwent Gazette was seen very clearly in August last year when the Gazette decided to back my campaign and petition to highlight the problem of child poverty and to spell out wjhat needed doing to end that poverty. For five weeks we worked closely together to let everyone in Blaenau Gwent know the extent of child poverty. I then defined very clearly, through the pages of the Gazette, what needed doing politically.  In an era when hundreds iof buillions of pounds have been thrown, by this government, at irresponsible bankers it is nothing less than a political and public scandal that this same govermnment does not majke ending child poverty its top priority. It would cost £3 Billion extra year for the next eleven years. That is £33 Billion. Compare that to the £750 Billion the government has handed to the banks and bankers. By their policies you will know them. 

On a more positive note, this is the way the Gwent Gazette and I launched our joint campaign - to highlight the issues and then demand action. The Gwent Gazette showed itself to be a highly responsible local newspaper which was only too prepared to serve this community:

Dai Davies, February, 2009.