Leader: Salter of the earth
Newsdesk • Published 10 Apr 2010 10:00
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STACK up all the letters we've received about Martin Salter in the past 13 years labelled 'for' and 'against' they would probably come out about even.
For some readers the sight of yet another photograph of him receiving a petition, opening something or other, or meeting the great or the good is still guaranteed to send them into paroxysms of fury, like the gentleman who used to call our newsdesk as a matter of routine to inquire: "Is that the Salter Chronicle?"
Equally there are readers for whom he can still do no wrong and who would happily see him knighted, ennobled or even beatified for the way he has conducted himself as MP for Reading West.
In truth his folk hero image should probably occupy a slot somewhere in between the two. But one thing's for sure, this loud, energetic, opinionated, enthusiastic and sometimes brash character has never been a man anyone could ignore.
When satisfied about the worth of some cause or the value of adding his voice to an argument he was always first in line. He'd be on the phone, putting some unfortunate reporter's shorthand to the test before declaring: "I'll whack over a press release shortly."
It was no surprise that the first call on our April Fool last week about putting up a statue to him came from a laughing Mr Salter himself.
Love him or hate him, he'll surely be missed.
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