The article below misrepresents the facts of the situation so obviously, we hardly have words to respond.
Our letter in response to the paper on this article follows.
Another article, see right, similarly misrepresenting the facts of the situation, was published as front page headline, only a few days later.
We sent a similar letter in response.
Acknowledgement : The Sunday Telegraph, 3 December 2000.
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Acknowledgement : The Times, 18 December 2000. |
Reference : Article by Martin Bentham "Plans for 'no fault' divorce scrapped", Sunday Telegraph, 3 Dec 2000.
Dear Sir,
'No fault' divorce has been practiced for the last half century. To be precise, since 1948 with respect to children, since 1973 with respect to capital assets, and since only last Friday 1 December 2000 with respect to pensions. It continues to be practiced in all level of courts at this moment.
It is therefore utterly impossible, as your article informs us, that "The government is to abandon plans for 'no fault' divorces".
Imagine for a moment that you were to publish an article titled "Plans for National Lottery scrapped", which explains that the Government had dropped plans to introduce a National Lottery. Most, if not all, of your readers would think that the author of such an article must be quite mad, as we all know that the National Lottery has already existed for several years.
The only reason the public do not think Martin Bentham mad is that they are ignorant of the facts. They do not know that 'no fault' divorce has existed for the last half century. One reason for this situation is that the press and media, including the Sunday Telegraph, has not told them. While articles such as Martin Bentham's are published, they will remain ignorant.
Yours faithfully,
Barry Worrall,
Director, Cheltenham Group.
Comment : When will the press & media tell it as it is ?