Promised Lands

A friend texted me last week to buy the Guardian on Wednesday, it would have a supplement on the Pathfinder schemes. Of course, disorganised as I am, I forgot. Then during the following couple of days a lot of emails landed in my inbox about this Guardian supplement. What is the fuss about? I found out from the Guardian website: Read Simon Jenkin's reaction to this supplement. So, the Guardian published in their 'Society' section 6 pages sponsored by the Housing Market Renewal people about Pathfinder, but did not make clear enough that it was entirely the view of the government, and no critic was cited. My friend, who knows a thing or two about the pathfinder was fopped off when she tried to give her view prior to the publication over the phone. Now it is clear why: The HMRI had paid for the show and would decide what was published. Not good, but Simon Jenkins column attacked the paper for this error of judgement, and they saw it necessay to issue a statement to justify this kind of 'journalism'. Thinking about the title of this supplement, 'Promised Lands': I can not help but interpret this cynically. The Patfinders promise profit for the developers, if they get their way these promises can become real. The people living round here have been promised that they can have their say, but the consultation of last year has still not been presented to our council, many months later.