TG slams New People over ‘insulting and denigrating’ language

Together Gibraltar said it was “saddened and angered” by “hurtful language” used by The New People in a critical piece on Gibraltar’s Opposition parties.

It was reacting after the GSLP’s publication said that under their present leadership, the Opposition parties were possibly “so retarded” they had not yet formulated their own ideology.

That language, TG said, “insults and denigrates” people in the community with mental disabilities.

“Using the word ‘retarded’ is an insult to those with intellectual disabilities whose families have fought for years to break those stigmas,” TG said in a statement.

“This is a term coined in 1961 to refer to people with disabilities, but which is now considered hate speech, bigoted, and highly insulting. There is no other definition.”

“The New People cannot proclaim innocence.”

“We take this opportunity to remind the public that this is a newspaper owned by the Chief Minister, and paid for by the tax payer.”

“It is run by GSLP executive members, and the Chief Minister has admitted he writes for it under a pseudonym.”

“In the UK this latest article would have gone before the Press Complaints Commission, with the newspaper receiving a hefty fine.”

“There is no excuse for this language. The Chief Minister, the Government and the GSLP should hang their heads in utter shame.”