Telegraph (UK) 11 Sep 2012
The clumsy attempt at news management by the Deputy Prime Minister’s senior press officer brought immediate comparisons to The Thick of It, the spoof BBC Television show about bungling politicians and civil servants. Mr Clegg’s office had sent out a press release via email at 3pm informing journalists about a reception he is hosting tonight for “celebrity campaigners, religious figures, activists, charities and politicians” to “celebrate the Government’s historic consultation on equal marriage.” In a hard-hitting speech at the reception, the press release announced, the Liberal Democrat leader would describe opponents of gay marriage as “bigots”. The full quote read: “Continued trouble in the economy gives the bigots a stick to beat us with, as they demand we ‘postpone’ the equalities agenda in order to deal with ‘the things people really care about’. As if pursuing greater equality and fixing the economy simply cannot happen at once.”
As news of the Deputy Prime Minister’s remarks began circulating in Westminister, Mr Clegg’s team clearly had second thoughts about his frank use of words. Rather than continue the row with his Coalition colleagues, at 4.25pm the press office sent out an urgent message seeking to recall the previous press release. It said: “Communications (Cabinet Office) would like to recall the message, “Deputy Prime Minister Equal Marriage reception this evening”. Five minutes later, a third email was dispatched. It said: “With apologies, please see corrected text below. The last version you received was incorrect and sent to you in error. Please only quote from the text below.” In the new text of the speech, the reference to “bigots” had been taken out and replaced with “some people”. The quote now read: “Continued trouble in the economy leads some people to demand we ‘postpone’ the equalities agenda in order to deal with ‘the things people really care about’. As if pursuing greater equality and fixing the economy simply cannot happen at once.”
….During the 2010 general election, Mr Clegg was asked to comment on Gordon Brown’s use of the word “bigot” to describe an elderly woman who had challenged him about immigration. He replied: “If you are answering people’s questions, you have got to answer those questions with a sense of respect, whatever you think of them, not insult them. “I do feel that, in an election campaign in particular you have just got to give as good as you get but you have got to treat whatever questions you receive with the respect they deserve.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/nick-clegg/9536368/Nick-Cleggs-office-attempts-to-withdraw-bigot-comment-about-opponents-of-gay-marriage.html
