Quotes of the week

Newsquest journalist on company taking BNP ads: "Other NQ colleagues have said they would go on strike if their paper took the advertising. Personally, I would feel deeply uncomfortable if the website took the ad - the Essex ones are bad enough, but the banner ads are sickening. It's difficult enough keeping the extremists off your messageboards with our policy to only remove comments when reported - allowing the BNP an even more legitimate platform like this undermines the credibility of the paper. "

Martin McNeill, editorial director of Newsquest Essex, replying to a complaint about The Echo in Essex carrying online BNP ads: "We are accepting paid-for advertising from any political parties or candidates standing in the current elections. I appreciate how strongly many people feel about the BNP, but it would be undemocratic and against the principle of free speech to refuse to accept any party's advertising provided it falls within our guidelines. The Echo has consistently opposed the BNP in our Comment column and will continue to do so. As editor, I have twice been taken to court, unsuccessfully, by a BNP activist who did not like my editorial stance. I also regularly receive BNP hate mail. Despite this, I feel I must defend the right of all parties to take out paid-for advertising in support of their election candidates."

NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear on BNP ads: “Newsquest should be ashamed of itself for taking money from an organisation that advocates racist policies that would directly discriminate against the communities these websites serve. This disgraceful decision not only damages the reputation of the company’s online and print titles. Journalists will also find their ability to win the trust and confidence of their communities undermined by this decision."

Simon Kelner, managing director and former editor of The Independent, on MediaGuardian in the New Statesman: "The Guardian as an organisation proclaims the highest ethical values, but it is quite clear that they have used their media website purposely to damage their biggest commercial rival. Nothing could be further from the avowed aims of the Scott Trust, and I am compiling evidence of unsourced, biased and irresponsible journalism on the website to supply to the trust. Those who work in newspapers are aware that MediaGuardian is contaminated by the commercial values of GMG. The problem is that the wider media industry, particularly the advertising community, regard it as an objective and authoritative site when, of course, it is anything but."

Guardian News and Media's head of media and technology Steve Busfield responds to the New Statesman article accusing MediaGuardian of bias: "If the site is rubbing executives up the wrong way, then we are probably doing a good job."

Associated Press tells US public how campaigning journalist Heather Brooke helped break the MPs' expenses story:"It took a sassy American to force stuffy British lawmakers to come clean over their expenses."