[Ministry of Defence public relations officers (known by…]

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Ministry of Defence public relations officers (known by the journalists as 'thought police') vet copy from the Fleet and delete references to the weather, location, names of ships, names of crews.

According to the Observer, "stories which might sap morale are also discouraged".

Twice D notice 'requests' have been made to Fleet Street to delete material from stories. On both occasions the papers have complied.

Even the Daily Mail has complained of the paucity of information put out by the Ministry of Defence.

In an editorial headed "winning the propaganda war" it said:

"If the often lying propaganda of the Argentines obtains extensive and undeserved coverage this is very largely because the Ministry has so little to say and that little is often late ...

"Distinguished British correspondents are little better treated than those from other countries like, for instance, those of the Soviet block."

Harlot

Journalists are forbidden to mention weather conditions in the Falklands, information available through one phone call to New York. The Argentinians in any case don't even need to make a phone call.

lan McDonald, the defence spokesman on tele-. vision, will surely go down in history as a master of doublespeak. His carefully enunciated categorical statements have to be revised almost before they are out of his mouth.

(For three weeks all the media have been blithely assuring the world that the blockade has been maintained. Last weekend the television began referring to the ships and planes which have reached the island from Argentina as if they were already common knowledge).

Those papers which criticise government press tactics object to the crudeness of the disinformation service. The BBC specifically defended its so-called "balanced treatment' on the grounds that by reporting some Argentine claims it would gain greater respect around the world.

None of the press claim the right to attack British policy head-on - despite deep reservations on the part of large sections of capital over escaiation. The Times and the Spectator are just two publications which are strongly opposed to bombing the mainland of Argentina, the government on its own terms. The government and Ministry of Defence wants a press totally controlled and operating within military limitations. As the Daily Mail put it. "The Ministry •. seems to be under the impression that the media will publish what it says and no more"

We should not be afraid to recognise that the difference of opinion is an important one. All the media is engaged in stoking up support for the war to one extent or another by declaring the views of those who want an immediate end to the war and the recall of the fleet to be beyond bounds.

But the Sun has put itself out on a limb and that limb should be hacked off. The NUJ General Secretary has issued a statement condemning the Sun. There should be some immediate action through the NUJ complaints committee to sling those responsible out of the union.

Jor should opponents of ne war overestimate In power of the press. The poll published by commercial television at the weekend showed that despite all the propaganda blasts, one third of the population on no account wants any more fighting.

The basis for a mass antiwar movement exists. Press lies in the long run will add fuel to that movement.