Outbreak of Stalinism in the Mail results in amusing 'clarification'
The Daily Mail has run a correction after calling journalist Anna Ford a ‘Trotskyite’ over her support for Jeremy Corbyn in Labour’s leadership race.
Today’s correction reads:
“A comment article on September 3 described Anna Ford as a ‘Trotskyite’. Ms Ford has asked us to clarify that she has never been an admirer of Trotsky, nor of the Communist Party nor its philosophy. We are happy to set the record straight.”
No explanation was given for why Ms Ford was described in this way.
‘Trotskyite’ is a term of abuse used against people with hard Left politics, particularly admirers of Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky.
The term became a swearword after the split between Trotsky and Joseph Stalin, when it was used to mean ‘traitor’ inside Soviet Russia to stifle dissent.
Today, use of the term (over the less insulting ‘Trotskyist’) is largely confined to right-wing newspapers – and supporters of the Stalin’s politics.
Adam Barnett is a staff writer at Left Foot Forward. Follow MediaWatch on Twitter
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6 Responses to “Daily Mail correction after calling Anna Ford a ‘Trotskyite’ for backing Corbyn”
Tony O'Malley
I hope this incident and all similar ones, was referred to the Press Complaints body.