{"id":1156,"date":"2012-09-17T09:42:19","date_gmt":"2012-09-17T08:42:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=1156"},"modified":"2012-09-17T09:42:19","modified_gmt":"2012-09-17T08:42:19","slug":"a-response-to-hugh-jordans-attack-on-billy-hutchinson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=1156","title":{"rendered":"A Response to Hugh Jordans Attack on Billy Hutchinson"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Response to Hugh Jordan\u2019s Attack on Billy Hutchinson.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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In recent days and particularly in wake of the verdict on the Hillsborough disaster of 1989 journalism has been much to the fore.\u00a0 From a sporting point of view we have been privileged to read articles by Brian Reade, Oliver Holt and Brian Woolnough and in doing so it serves to highlight the totally irresponsible reporting from the time of the disaster\u2014mainly from Sun newspaper journalists, most notably Harry Arnold\u2014all overseen and rubber stamped by Kelvin McKenzie.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0 Sadly the readership\u2014especially here in Northern Ireland\u2014are more used to the latter type of writing as opposed to the first.\u00a0 And even more sadly although we are virtually force fed it we have been accustomed to it and in many cases crave more of the same.\u00a0 It is like eating junk food\u2014we know it is bad for us but the more we eat the more we want.\u00a0 Sunday past seen another example of inaccurate, spiteful, childish and downright irresponsible journalism from one of our greatest exponents of that type\u2014Hugh Jordan.\u00a0 As any regular reader of his column will know Hugh has made a name for himself in journalism by writing about his obsession\u2014Glasgow Rangers.\u00a0 It would be unusual for him to go through a single article without giving Rangers a mention.\u00a0 Another virtue Hugh has is his capacity to condemn sectarianism through his rants about everything red white and blue.\u00a0 Rather ironic.
\nThe focus of Hugh\u2019s attention this week was Billy Hutchinson.\u00a0 Billy as we all know is the current leader of the Progressive Unionist Party and a dedicated community worker in one of the most challenging areas in Belfast\u2014Mount Vernon.\u00a0 Jordan\u2019s take on these facts is that Billy is supposedly <\/em><\/strong>the PUP leader and is only a community worker because he copied<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Republicans who he claims started the practice long before Loyalists.\u00a0 How ludicrous is this?\u00a0 Before entering politics Billy worked tirelessly for 8 years in one of the most challenging areas of this country\u2014West Belfast.\u00a0 Jordan also claims that despite being heavily funded Hutchie\u2019s position as a community representative has returned little and doubts the veracity of such positions.\u00a0 Without having to ask Billy I would imagine if he was asked to swop his role and salary with Hugh Jordan for six months he would be the happier of the two.\u00a0 Then again I couldn\u2019t see Jordan getting the results Billy has in the impoverished area he serves—nor can I see Billy sitting in the Duke of York or Whites Tavern, nursing a G and T and pontificating on how best to denigrate Loyalism.\u00a0 Jordan is the atypical Northern Ireland tabloid journalist.\u00a0 He is the master of lazy journalism\u2014relies on gossip and innuendos to produce stories\u2014refuses to deal in facts and in most cases doesn\u2019t resort to backing up stories for verification.\u00a0 And adheres to the old adage\u2014don\u2019t let the truth get in the way of a good story.\u00a0 Bill Hutchinson certainly has nothing to prove to Hugh Jordan or his readership.\u00a0 If this journalist took the time and made the effort to substantiate his writing he would find that Hutchinson is a more than capable leader of the Progressive Unionist Party\u2014an unenviable job that requires dedication and not inconsiderable nous.\u00a0 He certainly fits the bill by way of serving working class Loyalism in his role as an inspirational and hands on community worker, who despite the allegations from Hugh Jordan does<\/em> <\/strong>get things done.<\/p>\n

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