Lib Dems: "TV bosses should stop talking Merthyr down"

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 23rd Oct 2006

"Merthyr - and it's people - deserve an apology from TV bosses". This was Welsh Lib Dem Michael German's response to the Channel Four production entitled "The Best and Worst Places to Live in the UK" which airs on Thursday 26th October.

Michael German, AM for South Wales East, said; "What did Channel Four hope achieve with its 'black and white' analysis of Britain? Every town and city in the UK has good points and bad points and to simply label Merthyr Tydfil as the worst place to live is irresponsible journalism. At the end of the day Channel Four wanted a cheap TV program, but what they didn't factor in was the cost to the places they are running down. How are the people of Merthyr expected to have pride in their town and in themselves, if the national media insists on continually focusing on their negative points?

"Merthyr has lots going for it, including its beautiful scenery, rich industrial heritage and tight-knit community. If these journalists and TV producers stopped long enough to examine the bigger picture they would see a town with real spirit and sense of identity."

Merthyr Tydfil has a lot to offer

Lib Dem campaigner, Amy Kitcher, who lives in Merthyr Tydfil added: "A good place to live is not defined in terms of jobs, schools and low crime. A town may have a good school, but people may not have much quality of life if they have to get in a car and drive half an hour to get to it. And an area may have a low crime rate, but that could be because people are living locked away, in gated estates without much sense of community."

Amy added, 'Desirable places to live are ones that feel alive and are made rich by their history, their character and the people who live in them and take it from me, Merthyr has got those qualities by the bucket-load."

"I'm proud of my town and a cheap 'mock-umenatary' is not going to change that."