outery against the alleged threat to the freedom of the press" contained in the closed shop provisions of the Trade Union and Labour Relations Amendment Bill, one incident which completely summed up the nature of this so-called freedom" went largely um eported except in the Guardion.
ander P'aton, a Glasgow barman imsetting fire to a Leningrad hotel, Rew into Heathrow airport after his release as a goodwill gesture before Mr Wilson's visit to Moscow. Two days later the Daily Express carried a lengthy interview with Paton prefaced by extensive references to the fact that he was now 'free as a bird' and for the firer fi COME ICEMORS WEEE COMEINCO TO LE Express. Perhaps the ollier papers weren't interested? Not so. The previous day a piqued Gardian reporter had spilled the wien Mr Paton was hustled away by Dail On Monday, TO February, Mr Alex Tve had 14 morths of the KGB-pow: Im Exprest reparters, As he left he shouted:
buck in their hands again. This is abpEsoned by the Soviet authorities for saluraly ridiculous." The Sepress is thought to bave bought Mr Paton's story through they forgot to mention the expensive gilded cage. No wonder the Fleet Street editors are so determined not to yield an inch to the National Cnion of Jontalists. After ail, the freedom of the chequebook is at SHER