Thursday 6 September 2007

And they said peace would bring jobs...

Staff at Bobballs have received further communication from ladies wishing to talk with him on highbrow matters. (It can happen... what?)

On this occasion, it has been pointed out that Sunday Times Northern Ireland editor Liam Clarke took voluntary redundancy on September 1 as part of a round of staff cuts.

So why the redundancy? As Liam explained to ST staff in an email:

"The post of Northern Ireland editor is being made redundant due to the changing news agenda..."

This is the beginning. If Clarke goes, it's the high jump for security hacks. My God... and they call it peace. Security hacks will be cut down in the very prime of their careers. (Anyone spotted Alan Murray recently?)

Sure the world tuned in for the peace deal. But who's going to be there to record the demise of the security hack? I mean, if this keeps going there will be no one left to glamorise unknown criminals with Chandler-esque nicknames, publish unsubstantiated allegations from unnamed 'sources' and helpfully leak NIO documents. Unthinkable!

Still, Liam intends to celebrate his release from onerous reporting duties by having a knee's up with his mates.

"A drinks do might be a solitary affair as I was the only one in Belfast. However, we can have mini versions if any of you are over this way," he wrote.

Just so. Ladies and gentlemen, Liam Clarke… solitary hero.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Does this also mean the end of Eamonn Mallie?

By the end, anyone who misses Liam's musings will be pleased to hear that he is now writing columns for the News Letter, starting with one today!