A MESSAGE TO OUR READERS FROM BLOG PROPRIETOR BILL CHISHOLM
In his latest newsletter [?] to hundreds of shareholders in Avocet Natural Capital, that company's chairman Martin Frost publishes a photograph of me alongside my wife with Mrs Chisholm's image almost totally obscured by the Scottish National Party's logo.
I presume this is his photographic evidence that I am a 'well known' supporter of Scottish independence. However, it would have been courteous, although not advantageous to his cause - whatever that might be - had Mr Frost identified and accredited the source of the picture which was taken some 30 years ago.
The image was procured by Mr Frost or one of his acolytes by accessing my wife's Facebook account and lifting the picture without asking her permission. She is a member of the SNP and tells me she super-imposed that Party's logo herself. I had never seen the picture until my attention was drawn to it in Mr Frost's newsletter as I've never had a Facebook account and don't participate in social media of any description.
I have already written to Avocet company secretary Eirlys Lloyd in a bid to set the record straight. I've stressed that I've never been a SNP member or espoused their cause yet Mr Frost and his associates continue with their fabricated evidence, but to what end?
On February 23rd my non-existent political bias featured in a lengthy piece of correspondence said to have been written by Mrs Lloyd.
I felt it necessary to raise the issue with her. In an email (so far I have had no response) I stated: "In that newsletter you write: “I am even
more concerned to note that yesterday Mr Bill Chisholm the retired Jedburgh
journalist, but I believe still a Member of the NUJ, liberally quoted from Mr
Frost’s yesterday’s private and confidential letter to shareholders in his very
public blog. One would have thought that Mr Chisholm, a well-known Scottish
Nationalist judging from publicly available photographic evidence, would have
been more concerned with the current shenanigans at Holyrood, as referred to
below.”
My message continued: "Your assertion, a
complete work of fiction, does not bother me one jot although your turn of
phrase almost suggests that being “a well known Scottish Nationalist”
constituted some kind of heinous crime. But for the avoidance of doubt I am not
“a well-known Scottish Nationalist”, have never been a member of the SNP or any
other organisation campaigning for or supporting Scottish Independence, and have
never publicly expressed an opinion on the merits or drawbacks of the aims of
nationalism.
"During my career in
journalism my colleagues and I were strongly advised against joining any
political party as part of a drive to ensure there was no political bias in our
reporting. It was an admirable trait which I have continued to obey in
retirement. However, sad to say today’s generation of journalists [including
Andrew Neil] appear proud to wear their political bias on their
sleeves.
"Perhaps you would care to
make the contents of this email available to Avocet shareholders when next you
correspond with them so that the record can be set straight."
It would appear my words had no impact as the top brass at Avocet have chosen to continue with their totally false campaign to discredit me.
The latest offering from ANC's Mr Frost kicks off with "Opening upon a lighter note, I enclosed a photograph sent to me of Mr. Bill Chisholm – the well-known raconteur of Scottish Borders Rugby Shower fables". Glad to know he's an avid reader of the blog.
The photo of Mr and Mrs Chisholm is accompanied by the sarcastic caption: 'As we all know Mr Chisholm is a distinguished journalist with no political leanings'.
Well now you have my side of the story, and I'll leave you to judge the 'evidence'. And for the record Mrs Chisholm is none too pleased that her Facebook content has been plundered in a bid to level totally false allegations at me.
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