Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Pro-Euro comic binned for taking wrong tone

EUROPE

Sarah Schaefer Political Reporter
Thursday 22 October 1998 23:02 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A PRO-EUROPEAN children's comic produced by the European Commission and pulped amid fears that it may result in a Euro-sceptic backlash if published in Britain was "ill-judged" and "inaccurate", the Government said yesterday.

Andrew Smith, the Employment minister, said the 75,000 copies of the comic The Raspberry Ice Cream War, were "piled up in a warehouse somewhere in Oxfordshire."

Aimed at youngsters aged from seven to 16, the comic was translated into English from the original German.

But Geoffrey Martin, the European Commission representative in Britain, decided that distribution was "inappropriate" in this country because it did not take a UK-specific perspective on issues such as the single currency.

The matter was raised during question time by Christopher Gill, the Euro- sceptic Conservative MP for Ludlow.

Mr Gill, said: "The glossy children's comic produced by the European Commission and ludicrously entitled The Raspberry Ice Cream War has been pulped. Will you tell us exactly what his [Mr Martin's] consideration was in taking the decision to pulp this comic - and also tell us how much it has cost the public purse to produce this comic?"

Replying, Mr Smith told MPs that it was now a matter for the European Commission what to do with the copies

He said: "This undoubtedly was an ill-judged and in part factually inaccurate publication. As to what happens to it now, that is a matter for the Commission.

"They might want to donate it to Oxfordshire's recycling efforts, or simply send them back to Brussels."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in