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City daily refuses to publish neo-Nazi murderer’s photo on front page

A regional daily has said it makes “no apology” for choosing not to publish a photograph of murderer Thomas Mair on its front page today.

Mair was sentenced to a whole life term in prison yesterday after being found guilty of the murder of Batley and Spen MP Jo Cox in June.

The 53-year-old neo-Nazi was also convicted at the Old Bailey of possession of a firearm with intent to commit murder, possession of an offensive weapon – a dagger – and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Bernard Carter Kenny, a 77-year-old man who rushed to Mrs Cox’s aid during the attack in her constituency.

But instead of using Mair’s image to accompany its report on the verdict, the Yorkshire Evening Post has instead printed a picture of Mrs Cox on her wedding day.

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In an editorial explaining the decision not to print Mair’s picture, the YEP said: “We make no apology for choosing not to put a picture of Thomas Mair on the front page of your newspaper tomorrow.

“No doubt there will be publications which choose to permit his image to glare from the news stands, but to us, to the people of Jo Cox’s constituency, to her family and friends, he is not important. He is forgotten. He has no power. He has been jailed for the rest of his life. And good riddance.

“Instead of focusing on the hatred that caused Jo’s death, we choose to focus on the ‘outpouring of love’ that followed it. Instead of carrying the image of a murderer on our front page we choose to feature a picture of Jo shining, happy and radiant on her wedding day. Her family mourn a mother, daughter and aunt snatched from them at a tragically young age.

“They grieve an irreplaceable individual who inspired so many in her short life. Yet how typical that their first thoughts should be with others.”

“While the personal safety of elected representatives must continue to be reviewed on a regular basis, the best tribute to Jo Cox is embracing her values, and the good causes she supported, in pursuit of a more civilised world.

“As Mr Cox so correctly pointed out, a cold-hearted murderer intended to divide Mrs Cox’s constituency and country. How ironic that his actions caused the opposite effect.”

Mair shot and stabbed Mrs Cox outside Birstall Library a week before the EU referendum vote, shouting “Britain first” as he did

The Eastern Daily Press also decided not to carry his photograph – or to name him at all – in today’s edition.

Its editorial stated: “After the trial of the man responsible for bringing the life of MP Jo Cox to a premature end, today is a time to reflect on her inspirsing legacy.

“And so, on our news pages, we focus on the achievements of a woman who did so much to improve the lot of those less fortunate than herself.”

8 comments

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  • November 24, 2016 at 9:50 am
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    The treatment on the front page works perfectly well and speaks for itself. Could have done without the self-righteousness in the leader about refusing to publish his pic ‘on the front’. Did they use one inside?

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  • November 24, 2016 at 10:26 am
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    I can understand the sentiment behind the YP’s decision, but where will it all end?
    When newspapers write about the atrocities in Syria, for example, will they not show any photographs of a former eye specialist who heads the country’s regime?
    Likewise, will Putin’s mugshot be missing when the radioactive poisoning incident in London is discussed?
    And will there be a timescale to this self-censorship or will the stock prints of Hitler, Idi Amin, et al, be confined to the archives?
    Who’d edit a paper today, eh? Reading about all the recent closures, though, I don’t suppose that that’ll be an issue for very much longer…

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  • November 24, 2016 at 11:30 am
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    No doubt the editors are tuned-in to local sensibilities but from the outside it seems an extremely odd decision not to use the killer’s picture or, in the case of the EDP, not to even name him.

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  • November 24, 2016 at 11:42 am
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    More student newspaper-style posturing from the publication which also announced that Jimmy Savile’s mugshots were banned.

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  • November 24, 2016 at 1:15 pm
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    As others have said, it’s a perfectly serviceable front page undone by some immature posturing. For heaven’s sake, if ever there was a time to realise the story isn’t about YOU then this was it.
    They ‘make no apologies’ for the decision. Erm, has anyone actually asked them to make one? What a pointless statement.
    Print his picture, don’t print his picture, treat the story however you see fit. Just lose the unpalatable attention-seeking.

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  • November 24, 2016 at 4:11 pm
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    It’s pathetic ‘look at me-ism’. Make your decision and get on with it. No need for the pious posturing.

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