Brandjack News

By Quentin Langley

The Telegraph and other media are reporting that Argyll and Bute Council has shut down the blog of nine year old, Martha Payne. According to the blog itself – in which Martha photgraphs and writes about her school lunches – she was called to see the head teacher and banned from photographing school food. When her father complained to the council, it turned out that the head had been acting on instructions from the council in the fist place.

The blog had raised thousands for a charity, which you are encouraged to visit.The Telegraph today said that she had raised over £2,000. Three hours later it was almost £9,000.

As part of the council's commitment to transparency, it is not currently commenting on the issue in any way, but promising a statement later on. The press office is silent. The press office doesn't even have its own landing page on the council's website or – as far as I can tell – a direct dial telephone line. Certainly no direct line is mentioned anywhere on the website.

Accountability in action?