Simon Perry: the Activist as Journalist

The regional newspapers of England were once mighty institutions, proudly distinct from the output of London's vulgar Fleet Street. Indeed, The Guardian itself was The Manchester Guardian before its (perhaps misconceived) move south.

More recently, however, many regional newspapers have become shadows of their former selves, with severe cuts in editorial staff and content. Very rarely will regional newspapers take serious risks - it does happen, but not as often as previously.

It is in this context that the Leicester Mercury is to be congratulated for taking on the redoubtable Simon Perry to write about quackery.


His first article is online here, and it is very well done and a good read.

Simon, a friend of mine, is the head of Leicester Skeptics in the Pub and he is also one of the prime movers behind the intense pressure now on the chiropractic profession to act in accordance with their legal and regulatory obligations.

I hope the Leicester Mercury will carry many more articles by Simon and that their internet edition attracts traffic from all over the UK, and elsewhere, whenever Simon does do an article.

More generally, the mainstream media are perhaps becoming more interested in exposing the excesses of CAM and quackery. If so, there will be no better journalist-activist example for others to follow than Simon Perry.