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Brian Wilson has been sacked from the West Highland Free Press, the newspaper he was instrumental in establishing.

 

Mr Wilson of Uig, Lewis, was unceremoniously dismissed as a columnist, after paying tribute to Donald Macleod, a well-known Free Church theologian and longstanding contributor to the weekly, who wrote a piece suggesting Britain will be a predominantly Muslim country within quarter of a century.

 

Prof Macleod's regular "Footnotes" column will no longer appear after the newspaper which covers the Western Isles, Skye and the west Highlands, published his piece on 22 May in which he debated apocalyptic implications for democracy and freedom if hundreds of radicalised Islamic immigrants moved into Europe.

 

With no explanation to readers why the churchman's 24-year association with the paper had been severed, Brian Wilson defended Mr Macleod's right to have his say.

 

Mr Wilson - who helped get the paper off the ground in 1972 - wrote: "Not long ago, every faux liberal in Europe was proclaiming themselves to be “Charlie.”

 

"But being Charlie is about more than disapproving of religious fanatics murdering cartoonists who have offended them.

 

"It is precisely about asserting the right and duty of society and media to consider the difficult subject which most steer clear of, just like any other, rather than being sidetracked into silence by fear of retribution or political correctness.

 

"Until, out of a blue sky, a massacre occurs and it cannot be avoided.

 

"There is no single, or even complex, answer to why these things happen and no columnist on earth whose theories and opinions are not open to challenge."

 

Mr Wilson pointed out many would not agree with Mr Macleod's "diagnosis or prescriptions."

 

"But why should they and when did they ever?

 

He added: "As a result of whatever else transpired, Donald concluded that his freedom of expression was being impinged upon and that, in these circumstances, he should no longer contribute his column."

 

The Free Press published Mr Wilson's column and then sacked him.

 

The paper confirmed neither would be writing their columns again and thanked them for their contributions.

 

In protest, a third columnist, has quit. Maggie Cunningham, the head of Gaelic broadcaster, MG Alba, said she will not pen any further pieces for the paper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

West Highland Free Press sacks founding editor, Brian Wilson

 

11 July 2015