Letter: Media wars
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Your support makes all the difference.Sir: I was amused to read Charlie Whelan's advice on how to woo the Tory press (Media, 16 March). Fledgling spin-doctors should resist taking his advice. Charlie failed to influence political coverage to Gordon Brown's long-term advantage because of his cynical attitude to the truth.
You cannot tell a lobby journalist one thing one day only for the poor hack to discover he has been tricked into writing a load of cobblers the next. Charlie ended up being widely distrusted by those who valued their professional skins - an opinion shared by his New Labour colleagues including the Prime Minister, who forced him to resign.
Unfortunately, Charlie's influence lingers on at the Treasury. We were sold an "everyone's a winner" Budget. Turned out a whopper worthy of Whelan himself.
PAUL EASTHAM
Deputy Political Editor, Daily Mail
London SW1
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