Right wing tirade causes stir in NUJ election

The elections for the editor of The Journalist, the magazine of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), have caused a surprising stir.

As ballot papers were released, one candidate, Mark Watts, launched a tirade against what he believes is a secretive “cabal” – the NUJ Left.

NUJ Left is a grouping of socialists and others on the left inside the union. It debates and intervenes openly in the NUJ.

Watts, however, praises himself for uncovering this supposedly secret cell. He also managed to notice that Socialist Worker is supporting Richard Simcox for the editor’s post.

Watts is trying to create an air of suspicion about an open and democratic section of the union. NUJ members must stop this poison from spreading, so they can get on with fighting for the future of journalism.