Harwood,
Bolton.
29.9.98Dear James,
I am enclosing a copy of a letter which I have sent to Karen Hannah at GMR.
I fully support your stance and hope that matters can be resolved - after a retraction and apology from them.
Dear Ms Hannah,
I feel compelled to write to you to express my deep concern over the matter of the resignation of James H. Reeve. If what I read in the M.E.N. is the correct version of events and you did accuse James of making a racist remark in a gratuitous manner, then I question where you have been for the past three years.
While James may have expressed controversial views, he always did so in a fair and constructive way, stating his point of view through well thought out and intelligent argument. His stance against racism and prejudice is well known to his many listeners. The last thing James could be accused of is racism and if on this occasion you believe that he made a racist remark then I question whether you fully understood the context and the manner in which the remark was delivered.
James, after all, enjoys playing devil's advocate and his listeners understand and accept this. Perhaps the concept is too subtle for you.
I have contacted GMR before to air my views on what I consider to be the "dumbing down" of a good radio station, namely the dreadful Lee Stone show. Now you go and compound matters by causing the resignation of the best presenter you've had.
I do hope you will take steps to resolve this matter. I consider the fault to be yours.
Yours sincerely