Letter to the Editor of the Carmarthen Journal

Dear Editor

Allow me to be the first to congratulate you for telling your readers at long last about the row about Carmarthenshire County Council and press freedom. I was skimming through your paper in the newsagents, and I very nearly missed the short report in which you mention that "another newspaper" (let's not be shy, it is the South Wales Guardian we're talking about, isn't it?) has run into a spot of bother with the council.

It is likely that many of your readers will have picked up this news weeks ago, as it has been reported in lots of other places, including that other, rather bigger Guardian. But better late than never, and you don't need to worry about getting into trouble with County Hall because Pam Palmer gave you a quote, and that would have been cleared by the Press Office. So it must be all right.

But you're not quite out of the woods yet because alert readers may have spotted the report and feel like writing to your newspaper. It is just about within the realms of possibility that genuine readers can be found out there who share Cllr Palmer's concerns for the welfare of the Chief Executive and agree with his innovative interpretations of the council's constitution, but it's rather more likely that you will attract letters which ask awkward questions and say things that they won't like very much down the road. Oh dear.

Now that the cat is out of the bag, it could be quite a struggle to force it back in.

But if any of your readers find that their letters on this topic don't get published, Cneifiwr will be happy to take them off your hands and give them an airing on this blog.

The address is: trydar@hotmail.co.uk

Yours, etc.

Y Cneifiwr