Friday, April 20, 2007

 

It's always unintentional...ly dodgy

After his behaviour in Moray you would have thought Dodgy would be more careful, particularly in his own patch. But not so as his local paper takes him to task over using photos he shouldn't have.
COMPANY BOSS UP IN ARMS AT LIB DEMS' LEAFLET
19 April 2007

An Electoral gaffe by the Liberal Democrats has infuriated the boss of the Highlands' biggest private employer.

Mike Crowe, managing director of diabetes testing-kit giant Inverness LifeScan, is understood to have personally phoned the city's Lib Dem MP, Danny Alexander, requesting that the party halt further distribution of a campaign leaflet because it may be interpreted as a company endorsement. It features an old photograph of a smiling Mr Crowe alongside Stuart Black, of Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Lib Dem Scottish leader Nicol Stephen and party election candidate Craig Harrow in hard hats on the construction site of the city's Centre for Health Sciences.

LifeScan spokeswoman Elaine Bailey said: "The photograph was taken some time ago at a local business event and has been used out of context and without the prior knowledge or permission of LifeScan Scotland.

"LifeScan remains politically neutral and will continue to interact with members of all political parties during the course of its normal business activities."

Mr Alexander said: "The photograph was used to illustrate strong Liberal Democrat support for the impressive new Centre for Health Sciences in Inverness, which Nicol Stephen visited at Craig Harrow's invitation last year.

"It was not intended to imply any endorsement of the party by LifeScan, who we know do not support any party, but whose investment in Inverness and in the Centre for Health Sciences is critically important to our local economy."

He added: "The leaflet does not name LifeScan or Mike Crowe. It was not about implying an endorsement by anyone. It was about explaining our endorsement for the Centre for Health Sciences, which is a very important development for the Highlands.

"I think anyone who reads the leaflet should have no difficulty in understanding the point that is being made. We have no intention, and had previously no intention, of using the photograph again. It was about making a specific point about the local economy in a specific context."

Mr Black, now HIE's director of global connections, said: "It should be obvious that this photograph was taken during one of many events surrounding the Centre for Health Science. No political relevance should be attached to it."
Oh dear. That will have the tongues wagging about the "Ginger Minger" and his sneaky "not intended" behaviour again.

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