Running on empty

THE Daily Mail has a story comprising an incredible 1,347 words that attempts to link Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams to a man convicted of smuggling fuel across the Irish border. Adams’ Dundalk election campaign headquarters is rented off a company owned by Hugh Morgan, who pleaded guilty to fuel smuggling and tax evasion at Belfast Crown Court in June 1998. Yes, that’s right – nearly 13 years ago. There is absolutely no need to go into the minutiae of the story or read the full 1,347 words to get to the nitty-gritty. It can be broken down into five short questions and five shorter answers based on information gleaned from this mammoth text:

Right Round the Houses (No 28)

IT’S money for old rope – but somebody has to put their thoughts into print and get paid very handsomely into the bargain. So what have our newspaper columnists being saying this week . . . ?