This from one who was invited to attend the radio 2 Folk Awards. Who for good reasons, would rather not be identified.

Thanks for all your hard work in sending me details about how the campaign is going! I thought you might be interested in the following:

Just in case you were beginning to think that all the pro and semi pro folkies were ignoring this whole situation - here is what happened on folk award night last Monday.

Mike Harding started off with a whole load of put downs about Kim Howells and said that "He had invited the minister to come along, but he was obviously too afraid of the response" ... or (words to that effect), the mere mention of Kim Howells' name was met by a wealth of pantomine-like boos and hisses from the great and good in folk.

Introducing the award for Roy Bailey and Tony Benn as best live act, Tom Robinson finished with the phrase "and these two won't be able to play in a pub if the current government has their way" (or words to that effect).

Finally Eliza Carthy on recieving her second award appealed to the whole audience to sign Graham Dixon's petition with tears in her eyes ... I know this means a lot to her.

If you heard the radio broadcast you will have noticed that practically all (apart from Tom Robinson's comment) were completely edited out by Smooth Operations, the company who put on the annual show and who are also responsible for The Mike Harding Show.

I am appalled and dismayed that they didn't use what small part of the market share in national radio they have responsibility for to represent what the presenters and performers obviously
feel so strongly about (as everyone in the folk scene does) - they also missed out other political statements like those made by Christy Moore in response to his message from the Irish Prime Minister.

What I'm trying to say, Roger, is don't think all the people in the professional side of folk are ignoring this point. It is just incredibly difficult to get your point accross when the only bit of media attention on folk censors all the poignant facts out.

I would be grateful (for selfish career reasons) if you wouldn't link this information with my name if you choose to distribute it to others. But I would be only too happy for others to know how two faced Smooth Ops are for doing this sort of thing at the same time as cashing in on a bit of extra
listning figures because they get an interview with KH.

Anyway I've ranted enough.

Keep up the good work - I really appreciate it.

Cheers
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