Former SDLP Derry city councillor: Jimmy Carr has accused party of hypocrisy over support for UUP MLA Ross Hussey.
A former Derry City Councillor has hit out at the SDLP for showing support to Ulster Unionist MLA Ross Hussey.
Mr Hussey was splashed across two local Sunday newspapers for meeting a man in a hotel after they met online.
Unknown to him it was a sting, and the other male was in fact a reporter for the Sunday Life.
Mr Hussey has since received widespread public support, as well as cross party support from politicians, saying he was a single man and had committed any criminal offence.
SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan was among those politicians who have jumped to Mr Hussey’s defence.
He wrote in his Facebook account on Sunay: “”Appalling, shameful & disgustingly low journalism in today’s Sunday Life.
“Ross Hussey has been targeted & abused by journalists who’ve attempted to use his private life to increase the sales of their paper.
“Every man or woman has a right to a private life- politician or otherwise. Ross is a good public representative who works tirelessly for our constituents.
“Is this really in the public interest? NO.”
He also included a link to newspaper regulator IPSO for people to make a complaint.
However, one former member of the SDLP took issue with the remarks.
SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan
Jimmy Carr resigned as a Derry councillor and the party in 2014.
It followed similar allegations in the Sunday Life that he sent explicit pictures of himself on a council-owned tablet to a reporter.
On Facebook, he said: “In case anyone missed it, this is a statement from the sdlp… the same party who stitched me up…… they were a laughing stock before and they are an even bigger one now… oh and there is even a link to encourage people to make a complaint about the newspaper…. you can be sure Daniel never posted anything like this when it was me front page…”
The SDLP has not responded to Mr Carr’s posting
Meanwhile Ross Hussey, who has been described as hard working MLA for his constituents, also received fulsome support today from the Sunday Life’s sister paper, the Belfast Telegraph.
Gail Walker, editor of the Belfast Telegraph, wrote in her column today in the newspaper: “As Mr Hussey says, he has made a grave error of judgment.
“Except, in the great scheme of things, it wasn’t that grave – he wasn’t involved in anything illegal.
“He didn’t murder anyone, or commit fraud. He went online to meet people to have sex, he sent some photos that he admits he’d have been wiser not to send. He has paid for it.
“He merits sympathy, not outrage, or contempt.”
