This is quite amusing.
Yesterday I wrote about the Save Our Pubs & Clubs cover wrap that adorns the latest issue of The Publican's Morning Advertiser. (Visit the Info page on the Forest website and click 'Out in the cold')
Since it merged with The Publican last year, the Morning Advertiser is the only weekly pub trade publication in the UK. It is distributed free of charge to 32,500 licensees of "quality independent freehold outlets" as well as many of the key decision-makers in the industry.
Anyway, over two pages of advertorial (or what Total Politics might call a "special report") we highlighted (a) why many smokers have turned their backs on the British pub, and (b) the more relaxed smoking restrictions that apply in Europe. The gist of it is summed up by the headline, 'It's time to relax the smoking ban'.
My post provoked the following comment from someone called 'Sarah Connelly':
Yawn, special pleading by tobacco industry funded organisation. Wonder who paid for the advertorial. Most people don't want the current smokefree legislation changed - and even on your poll, just of smokers, only a tiny majority want change. Keep taking the money Simon, really don't know how you sleep.
Remarks like that don't bother me so I didn't give them a second thought. In fact I would have forgotten about it had it not been for Dave Atherton ferreting around as only Dave Atherton can. (I think that's a compliment.)
Dave did some detective work. His first attempt at finding out who 'Sarah' is missed the target but second time around it seemed a bit more believable. Either that or it's a huge coincidence – in which case I apologise in advance!
Dave discovered that LinkedIn has a profile of someone called Sarah Connelly whose occupation is - wait for it - policy manager at the Department of Health!
As 'Sarah' said yesterday, Sarah Connelly is quite a common name but I am tempted to think that Dave may be right this time because the Internet address of the computer Sarah used to post her comments includes the letters 'doh'. Spooky.
Nevertheless we need to be very careful before we speculate or point the finger at individuals – not without hard evidence, anyway. The Internet is a harsh environment and I don't want to be responsible for people being targeted unfairly.
So let me be clear. If the 'Sarah' who commented on this blog is not the Sarah Connelly who works at the DoH it's all Dave Atherton's fault and I will be happy to put the record straight!
If however it is then it her comments provide a fascinating insight into the mindset of those working in government.