SNP SHOW SUPPORT FOR SCOTLAND’S NEWSPAPERS.

SNP SHOW SUPPORT FOR SCOTLAND’S NEWSPAPERS.

The SNP today called for the Daily Record and Sunday Mail to remain independent titles as journalists continued their strike action. SNP Conference backed a resolution from Kenneth Gibson MSP calling on Trinity Mirror to respect the traditional titles of the two papers and to negotiate with the trade union rather than enforce compulsory redundancies. Mr Gibson yesterday spoke to striking workers at the two papers. Mr Gibson will lead a debate on the future of the papers in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday. Speaking at conference Cunninghame North MSP Kenneth Gibson said; “Scotland has a proud journalistic heritage. “The Sunday Mail and Daily Record are iconic Scottish titles, making significant profits for Trinity Mirror. Compulsory redundancies are not the way forward. “Plans to merge the two titles are unacceptable." 1. The resolution is below Daily Record/Sunday Mail Conference notes the intention of Trinity Mirror management in London to merge the Daily Record and Sunday Mail with the loss of 59 journalists - a quarter of the journalistic workforce in Scotland – imposing 23 compulsory redundancies; notes that both the Daily Record and Sunday Mail are highly profitable iconic Scottish titles and contributed greatly to the £145 million profits Trinity enjoyed last year; believes that such a drastic reduction in journalists numbers will affect the independence of both titles and their ability to debate and cover important Scottish issues; urges Trinity Mirror to accept NUJ proposals that all redundancies should be voluntary only; and calls on management to work with staff to avoid further industrial action and look at innovative ways of strengthening, rather than weakening their newspapers, a strategy which has proven successful from Europe to Asia and North America. Kenneth Gibson MSP Cllr James Dornan, Elected Member