NUJ campaigns officer Miles Barter has resigned from the union after a year in the post.
Barter told me: "I've done a year in the job and that's enough. I want to go back to freelancing."
He denied claims by defeated Journalist candidate Mark Watts that he had been "forced out" because of his links to NUJ Left.
Barter said: "Watts couldn't have got it more wrong if he was entering a 'getting it wrong' contest. I think Mark Watts is best ignored."
It is understood Barter sent a letter of resignation and has already stopped working for the NUJ. He is the union's former Northern organiser and was recruited to the London HQ of the NUJ last year to work in the campaigns and communications department.
Barter told me: "I've done a year in the job and that's enough. I want to go back to freelancing."
He denied claims by defeated Journalist candidate Mark Watts that he had been "forced out" because of his links to NUJ Left.
Barter said: "Watts couldn't have got it more wrong if he was entering a 'getting it wrong' contest. I think Mark Watts is best ignored."
It is understood Barter sent a letter of resignation and has already stopped working for the NUJ. He is the union's former Northern organiser and was recruited to the London HQ of the NUJ last year to work in the campaigns and communications department.
Surely he means he wants to spend more time with his family?
ReplyDeleteMark Watts has clearly left the realm of reality and is completely inventing things. Thank Christ he was well beaten by Christine.
ReplyDeleteBusiness must be slow at the FOIA centre at the moment. Can't someone find him an 'investigation' to pursue - perhaps one into an employee for an employer or something?
ReplyDeleteIf I was paying Mr Watts for FOI advice or requests - admittedly not many people are, but just if - I'm not sure I'd be too happy about him spending my money on inventing 'exclusives' for his website (which my money also presumbaly contributes to hosting).
ReplyDeleteThis latest really is his oddest yet though. The quote from Barter about 'couldn't have got it more wrong' is absolutely spot on.
Makes you wonder what kind of journalist Watts actually is that he doesn't appear to have spoken to anybody even vaguely close to this story.
There are only two possibilities: he's made it all up off the top his head; or someone is feeding him crank stories and he's biting. Either way, it doesn't look good. In fact, it looks very bad.
"If I was paying Mr Watts for FOI advice or requests - admittedly not many people are, but just if - I'm not sure I'd be too happy about him spending my money on inventing 'exclusives' for his website."
ReplyDeletePeople pay money to the the FOIA Centre as consideration for the FOIA work that it does for them ie payment for services rendered. He's not in business to provide investment fund opportunities. 'My money,' indeed. If Watts had left the realm of reality, he'd be in good company.
Despite the bizarre turn that NUJ Left defence comments are taking, it is rather nice to see people supporting their mates.
Fiona, I can tell you categorically that his latest effort is total fiction. You can believe that or not, I suspect you won't, but it doesn't really matter. What is significant, however, is that neither he nor you seem to care that the story is a fabrication.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Anonymous. Barter walked out of his last NUJ post, and now he's walked out of this one. It's what he does.
ReplyDeleteLike Mandelson?
ReplyDeleteHardly!
ReplyDeleteMandelson gets his candidates elected.
Good point.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - you know who you are, I'm sure - why don't you tell us what did happen then? In your own words.
Good point.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - you know who you are, I'm sure - why don't you tell us what did happen then? In your own words.
It is up to Miles himself to explain why he resigned if he so wishes. Suffice it to say that he did resign and was not forced out for any reason, particularly not for his membership of NUJ Left. And you can quote me, as NUJ Vice President, on that.
ReplyDeleteWho suggested anyone was forced out of office just for belonging to NUJ Left? Mark Watts didn't suggest it.
ReplyDeleteBarter wasn't forced - he quit. He is the NUJ equivalen of Macavity the Mystery cat. When they reach the scene of the crime "Macavity's not there".
ReplyDeleteAh, the hidden paw. So where will he pop up again? Maybe like Mandelson after all.
ReplyDeleteThis is all rather unseemly, this speculative and mostly anonymous comment on an individual's personal work situation. So it needs to be said that Miles Barter has given excellent and dedicated service to the union and its members down the years. And can we leave it at that please?
ReplyDeleteTom Davies
Many MPs have done really good work in their constituencies. Perhaps we should just draw a line under the expenses scandal - no more unseemly talk about flipping, or the dreaded d*ck houses.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt those MPs are also looking forward to some voluntary freelancing. The economic climate for that sort of thing is decidedly on the clement side. Certainly on the journalistic freelance front - no time better - as anyone who's spent the past year campaigning for the National Union of Journalists will know.
And maybe Miles's leaving pressie will quack.
"Many MPs have done really good work in their constituencies. Perhaps we should just draw a line under the expenses scandal - no more unseemly talk about flipping, or the dreaded d*ck houses."
ReplyDeleteWhat on earth has that got to do with Miles Barter leaving? What are you insinuating?
I'll tell you what's unseemly. Barter didn't have the common courtesy to work his notice. He resigned with immediate effect and left his colleagues in the lurch. Is that your idea of dedication?
ReplyDeleteHe wasn't forced out for being left - he packed in his job and gave no notice. His choice. Let's not make him an NUJ hero he wasn't thinking of his so-called comrades.
ReplyDeleteAs for his "excellent and dedicated service to members" maybe you should look at the activity behind his last resignation ...
Fiona, it's not a "good point" at all. As Donnacha DeLong said, it's not for anyone but Miles Barter to discuss the reasons for his decision to leave the NUJ. It's not anyone else's business. Least of all Mark Watts'.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's an absolute disgrace that his defamatory article is still on his website. Shame on him and on you Fiona for defending it.
The point in question was, I think, that Miles wasn't very effective in his campaign for Rich Simcox. Well, he wasn't, was he? The only candidate who polled worse than Simcox was the one who Simcox suggested people make their second choice.
ReplyDeleteAs for feeling ashamed, I don't. I'm disgusted. Not by the nature of Miles Barter's leaving so much as by the utterly cowardly way it's being handled. Most people are anonymous here. From reading the comments so far, Barter's at more risk from the anonymous commenters who seem to know him than he is from Mark Watts. Since the editorship election began, I've only commented in my own name. How many other people can say that truthfully?
I don't know exactly why Barter left; he does, of course, as has been pointed out. So how comes everyone else seems to know that Mark Watts is wrong? If something is clearly ridiculous, I will say so. No one gives up a secure job in today's media climate to go freelancing unless they are (a) a very successful freelancer already with an offer they cant refuse or (b) something else has gone on. It is perfectly reasonable to say so. Miles Barter's choice to use his position as campaigns organiser in one organisation to advance the campaign of a political faction was not a good one, if he wants to keep people from commenting on his job status.
The traducing of people for the sake of identity politics is also pathetic. Mark Watts does 'sham investigations', just because Greenslade doesn't like them. Aha. 'We're more left wing than you.' Really. Acting like packs of hyenas doesn't substitute for intelligent, constructive collective action.
"I don't know exactly why Barter left; he does, of course, as has been pointed out. So how comes everyone else seems to know that Mark Watts is wrong?"
ReplyDeleteBecause, unlike Mark Watts, other people have spoken to people who know what happened. It's called journalism. You ask questions of people and they tell you - if they trust you, of course.
The fact remains, Mark Watts's story defames both Miles Barter and Jeremy Dear. And Mark Watts doesn't seem to care. That's a shame.
Mark Watts talks to a lot of people and a lot of people choose to talk to Mark Watts.
ReplyDeleteFrom the comments above, it would seem that Miles Barter has not impressed everyone at Headland House.
No, I don't know who Mark's sources are. That's the point of confidentiality.
But I do know that Mark Watts, as an experienced journalist, can be expected to care about defamation. And I'm certain that he knows what it is, which is more than you can say for some people.
All we know is that Mark Watts says he has four sources who have "confirmed" what many others know is not just inaccurate in some regard; it's untrue in substance and fact.
ReplyDeleteNow, possibly Mark Watts has lied and he has no sources - or fewer than four - or four people have independently got the story wrong and gone to Mark Watts with it, or four people have conspired to get him to write a completely inaccurate story for some purpose (he knows sometimes people manage to persuade reporters to print untruths, doesn't he?).
Either way, having being told by the NUJ officially and others indirectly that the story is false and defamatory, it is still available on his website. He has been thoroughly reckless in regard to the facts of the matter (note, the NUJ spokesman "sought to deny" it rather than just "denied" it - an unnecessary and malicious slice of journalese). As well as the law, articles 2 and 3 of the NUJ's code apply.
If anyone is absolutely certain that Mark Watts has got it wrong then there is ground for a Rule 24 complaint. The thing is, he hasn't got it wrong. He's hardly scratched the surface of what's really gone on here, though.
ReplyDeleteTo the penultimate commenter, you may not like a story but that doesn't make it defamation - as any journalism student could tell you.
ReplyDeleteCome on, why don't you identify yourself?
I did not post anonymously, I know why Miles resigned and Mark Watts is completely wrong. As I said, it's up to Miles himself to give his reasons, but that's beside the point.
ReplyDeleteHere's my letter of resignation, emailed on 20 November 2009 at 11.01am to Stephen Pearse, who was then the National Union of Journalists' communications manager.
ReplyDelete"Subject: My resignation
"Hi Stephen
"I was stunned to hear the conference had voted to support a delegate meeting every 18 months rather than annually.
"Added on to the ending of annual elections for the NEC and other councils this seems to me to be a total dismantling of the union's democracy.
"It is such a fundamental attack on the things I believe in - orchestrated by the union's leadership - than in all conscience I can't continue to work for the NUJ.
"I couldn't look members of the union in the eye while I am taking a salary and the NUJ is making cuts I disagree with so passionately.
"I believe this is symptomatic of an attitude of contempt displayed by many in the union's leadership to the union's democratic processes. They are often seen as a hindrance rather than a help.
"As you know I believe the solution to the union's financial crisis is to stimulate more democracy not less.
"To put effort into reviving the moribund branches so there is a core of activists in every town who will fight for the union, represent people in personal cases, and recruit new members.
"Without this activity - and the democratic structures to stimulate it - the union is in danger of becoming a bureaucracy with a hollow shell.
"That redbuilding of the branches is not happening and I am clearly out of touch with the policies my colleagues at Headland House wish to pursue.
"Therefore I have no option but to resign from the post of campaigns officer.
"If possible I would like to leave today as I can't stomach the anti-member, anti-democracy gloating that I am bound to witness when everyone returns next week. I'm not bothered about being paid my notice.
"Best wishes and thank you for giving me the opportunity to work in the campaigns and Communications department.
"Miles Barter"
"Barter walked out of his last NUJ post, and now he's walked out of this one. It's what he does." Rumour has it he's gone and done it again, appears to be a slight pattern here .....
ReplyDelete"Barter wasn't forced - he quit. He is the NUJ equivalen of Macavity the Mystery cat. When they reach the scene of the crime "Macavity's not there"." That one was very funny!