David Cameron wrote of his fondness for a series of areas outside the south-east ahead of English Tourism Week, in an identikit press release his team hoped would be published in local newspapers around England.
But, as reported at the weekend, the Yorkshire Post refused to publish the article, saying it had “all the hallmarks of a carpet-bomb PR drop”.
The regional paper told readers the article from the prime minister had been spiked. An editorial on how Cameron’s PR team had “duped” newspapers across the country with “generic love letters” read:
We chose to spike Mr Cameron’s article on editorial grounds – it would have been a disservice to our readers to give the prime minister such a platform when so many homes, businesses and tourist destinations, the latest being Jorvik Viking Centre and the iconic Settle to Carlisle railway, are paying such a high price for the floods.
Here are the cuttings from the local papers in places Cameron says he loves – in words that begin to sound rather familiar.
The Herald, Plymouth: ‘I love Cornwall and Isles of Scilly’
Cameron said he loved Cornwall: “From their stunning beaches and coastal walks to their creative arts projects, this county is one of the many jewels in Great Britain’s crown.”
The Newcastle Chronicle: ‘I love Northumberland’
Cameron said of Northumberland he loved the “jewels” it had to offer. “From Hadrian’s Wall to Europe’s biggest sky park, this county is one of the many jewels in Great Britain’s crown.”
Lincolnshire Echo: ‘I love Lincolnshire’
The prime minister said he loved Lincolnshire. “From the quaint market towns to the rolling countryside, this county is one of the many jewels in Great Britain’s crown,” he said.
He said: “Let me give you one shocking fact: for all the money that is spent by international tourists in our country, half is spent in London” – the same words he used in the other articles sent around the nation.
Eastern Daily Press: ‘I love Norfolk’
Cameron told readers he “loved” Norfolk, and goes on to describe the “meandering waterways of the Broads” and its “stunning beaches”.
He also described a family holiday on one of its best-known beaches, but misspelt the name: he enjoyed “holidays on the coast at Holcombe”. But Holcombe is a seaside village in Devon, 300 miles from Holkham, to which he was presumably referring.
