Strange
that this Bristol backwater should suddenly attract media mentions across the British
Isles. Stranger still that it should happen twice in successive
months.
Both
stories have what the press loves – the chance to write a story
that will produce a titter or a snigger among the readers.
In
March, it was the
BioBus, usually described as the Poo Bus. I'm sure it's no accident that First
introduced it on the Number Two route, gifting an easy line to the
journalists and guaranteeing media attention. Apparently the
bio-methane fuelled bus is a first for the UK, though the technology
is well established.
Long before moving to Bristol
over a decade ago, I organised a Green Party trip to see Wessex
Water's plant at Avonmouth. What made it special was that while
other water companies were still pumping sewage into the sea, or
taking it out in barges to be dumped, Wessex already had the
foresight to treat it onshore. The biogas provided a renewable fuel,
used primarily to generate electricity, while the dried granular
byproduct could be used to enrich or remediate soil. It's that
biogas that's now being used as a (relatively) clean renewable fuel
to carry passengers from Stockwood to Cribbs Causeway (if they have
the staying power, and nothing better to do!) and all points in
between.
So
it's a good news story.... well done First, well done Geneco and
Wessex.
….............
This
month's Stockwood story has a very much darker side. I don't know
how the media got hold of it, though I have my suspicions. In the
coming local elections, UKIP's candidate to succeed Jay Jethwa as one
of Stockwood's two ward councillors apparently has a 'professional'
life as Johnny Rockard (snigger) a maker, promoter, and actor in
pornographic videos. Google his name if you must - I did, but a
click or two more was enough before I abandoned the enquiry!
Cue
lots of press and broadcasting media attention for the candidate, who's the
vice-chair of the local party. Cue righteous indignation from UKIP
and its supporters, complaining of being picked on by the media. My
guess is that all the attention was inevitable, no matter what colour
rosette the candidate was wearing.
Apart
from the press enjoying the chance to describe in detail the 'plot'
of one such video, and a huge burst in public awareness of UKIP's man
in Stockwood, just before an election, the story is a bit of a
non-event. It won't bring about a multi-million local tourism boom.
Most people accept that for better or worse, the sex trade exists and
people do work in it and they do meet a demand.
But
despite of UKIP's defence of its candidate, making and selling porn
is not like more legitimate businesses. It's a very dark sector of
the economy, strongly associated with exploitation, with people
trafficking, with drugs, violence and even modern slavery. Perhaps
the media should have used this story to raise these much more
serious aspects of the industry, instead of just treating it as a bit
of a joke.
[added 14/04/15] Looks like 'Object' are presenting them with the evidence now.
Meanwhile,
for balance, here's a list of the other candidates aspiring join
David Morris as Stockwood's councillor for the coming year, until the
first 'whole council' election in 2016. Sadly, like the UKIP man,
none of them actually live in the ward.
Phil
Bishop – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
Ian
Campion-Smith – LibDem
David
McLeod – Labour
Graham
Morris – Tory (David's son, I understand. Part of the Tory's
inheritance strategy?)
Ellie
Vowles – Green. Best of luck, Ellie!
