Mr. George Wigg, MP Following the publication in our issue
for July 5 of Mr. Anthony West's article 'McCarthy in Westminster,' we received a complaint by Mr. George Wigg, MP for Dudley, in respect of' the reference to him in that article.
Mr. Wigg has suggested that the article meant that he was engaged in this country in the de- liberate exploitation of the techniques and methods of the late Senator McCarthy for the purposes of vilifying and destroying the reputa- tions of innocent men.
We have taken, and still take, the view that the article is incapable of being read to refer to Mr. Wigg in this way and neither we nor the author ever intended that it should be so read.
Whilst we consider that read in its natural and ordinary sense the article constitutes no more nor less than fair comment upon a matter of public interest, we felt it right, in view of Mr. Wigg's complaint, to offer to him the oppor- tunity if he so desired either of replying to Mr. West's article in an article of his own or to publish a statement dealing with the recent. political controversy.
Since we haVe not received an article or reply for publication from Mr. Wigg, we should like to take the opportunity now of making clear to all readers that neither we nor Mr. West ever intended to impute to Mr. Wigg the motives which he has sought to read into Mr. West's reference to him in the article. We should also like at the same time to express our sincere regret to Mr. Wigg for the annoyance and offence which this interpretation of Mr. West's words (which would be incorrect) has caused to him.
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