Press Paperchase Paranoia

Advertising revenues are, for our free and fearless press, a sensitive subject. This may be not unrelated to their having been in freefall for some years now, with the “web giants”, whom the media establishment despises, doing rather better at attracting advertising spend. That could explain the most unfortunate establishment reaction to the latest success by campaigning group Stop Funding Hate, which targeted the Daily Mail.

Trans people? I'll call the c***s what I f***ing well want, thanks

As the BBC has reported, “Stationery company Paperchase has apologised for a promotional giveaway in the Daily Mail after it was criticised for working with the paper … The chain offered two free rolls of wrapping paper in Saturday's newspaper … It said it was ‘truly sorry’ after hundreds of people - encouraged by campaign group Stop Funding Hate - urged the chain to end the partnership”. But that was not and end to the matter.

One does not target the Mail and get away without incurring the displeasure of the legendarily foul mouthed Paul Dacre, as well as all those who pay fealty to him. So when the Paperchase promotion, and the Stop Funding Hate response to it, ended as they did, all hell broke loose. The inmates of the Northcliffe House bunker were on the warpath.

But as the Guardian then observed, the Mail had no idea who they were fighting. The Dacre doggies blustered “it is deeply worrying that Paperchase should have allowed itself to be bullied into apologising - on the back of a derisory 250 Facebook comments and 150 direct tweets - to internet trolls orchestrated by a small group of hard-left Corbynist individuals seeking to suppress legitimate debate and impose their views on the media”.

More punters on their way to Paperchase ...

There was more: Piers Morgan was characteristically abusive towards Paperchase, thereby increasing their popularity. Julia Hartley Dooda declared that she would boycott the retailer, to the great relief of their staff who wish she had taken that action earlier. But, to no surprise at all, the basis for Stop Funding Hate’s intervention - the Mail’s appalling attitude towards trans people - remained unaddressed. What a non-surprise.

And even if other papers were keeping schtum about the ruckus, their boot boys were soon on the case: the perpetually thirsty Paul Staines and his rabble at the Guido Fawkes blog decided on a mixture of dishonesty, abuse and mental health smears to attack Paperchase and Stop Funding Hate. The result was truly hilarity inducing.

... make that lots more punters

“Stationery store Paperchase is facing a backlash from angry customers after bowing to pressure from anti-press freedom cranks not to offer promotions in the Daily Mail”, they blubbered, also deploying the terms “loonies”, “nuts”, and “mental”. As the writer was the Fawkes teaboy Alex “Billy Liar” Wickham, there had to be a malicious lie. And he did not disappoint, claiming “Stop Funding Hate, a group whose stated aim is to censor or bankrupt the free press in Britain”. Milk, no sugar, hold the smears, thanks.

But he did boost Paperchase sales by reassuring potential customers that they would not encounter Laura Perrins, Christian May, Iain Martin, Dan, Dan The Oratory Man, or the serially clueless Tim Montgomerie if they shopped there.

So that’s yet another media establishment own goal, then. Looks like Job Done for Stop Funding Hate and another example of the Pundit Establishment not living in the real world.