After the media reported in detail about both the Paris terrorist attacks and the aftermath over the weekend, several online users began to take to social media to complain that the same treatment hadn’t been given to the terrorist attacks that recently occurred in Beirut and Ankara. Jeremy Corbyn was quick to join the cause, hitting out at the mainstream media in a television interview by accusing them of showing Euro-centric bias:
‘Likewise, which didn’t unfortunately get hardly any publicity, was the bombing in Beirut last week or the killing in Turkey. I think our media needs be able to report things that happen outside of Europe as well as inside. A life is a life.’
Happily, Corbyn is doing his best to remedy the situation. After a suicide bomber left over 30 dead in Yola Market, Nigeria, Corbyn’s team were quick off the mark to send out a press statement with his comments on the tragedy, making sure to list all the cities his thoughts are currently with (so far, the list is made up of Paris, Beirut, Ankara and Damascus):
A kind sentiment if also a seemingly recently acquired one. Mr S can’t recall any such email making its way to his inbox before the Paris attacks. In fact, Steerpike can’t find any press statement sent for either the Beirut attack or the killing in Turkey. This, despite there being plenty of coverage of these events in the mainstream media: the Guardian, Telegraph and Times all have several stories relating to the attacks on their websites.
But given the current state of world affairs, Mr S imagines that Corbyn may soon need a full-time member of staff to coordinate his new email policy.
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