Storm Against Former NRK Journalist – VG

The controversial Twitter post of the current Conservative Party press officer Cato Husabø Fossen contains a screenshot of a VG article from June.

The article in discussion is about Ingvild Kjerkol, Labor Party Health and Care Policy spokesperson, criticizing the government for unclear travel advice ahead of joint vacations.

According to its citations to VG in June, the Labor Party wanted clearer measures and more predictability for Norwegians in the coming months. Read the case here:

War of words during publication

This weekend, Fossen shared a screenshot of the article’s title and preface with the following text:

“This summer the Labor Party and @ingvildkjerkol thought the government was too strict on people’s travel to the south. In retrospect, world relief is an exercise, but of course the privilege of the opposition,” according to Twitterinnlegget.

It has created discussion. Kjerkol himself and several other Twitter users believe that the press manager attributes to Kjerkol views that she does not have.

You are completely dishonest. We wanted to say and still believe exactly the opposite. Greater predictability for families, which we demand, would impose stricter restrictions on travel to the south “, the Labor politician himself responds during the post.

Fossen himself responds that he lives well with criticism from the left.

– Keeping quiet about the left on Twitter is part of the job description as a press manager in the Conservative Party, so I live very well with that, he tells VG.

– Import infection deserves serious approach

Ingvild Kjerkol tells VG that she believes the Conservative Party press officer tells stories about her as a political opponent.

– It does not work for Husabø Fossen to invent what I mean, he must also me refute it. I was in several discussions with Bent Høie (H) this summer and advocated for a travel tip during joint vacations. The Minister of Health thought this was too strict.

Cato Husabø Fossen says he interpreted the VG case to mean that Kjerkol was critical of the government’s travel council at this time.

– Then since then, I saw a clip of a Dagsnytt 18 debate on June 17 where she points out that in any case the rules should have been stricter, something that did not appear in the VG interview, she tells VG .

Kjerkol says the lack of control over the infection from outside deserves a more serious approach by a government party.

– Many are now worried about being able to celebrate Christmas with their loved ones. That an employers’ association gets a breakthrough by ignoring contagious advice provokes people, Kjerkol concludes.

The conservative press chief responds that it has been difficult to see a clear line from the Labor Party beyond the desire to criticize the government’s handling as often as possible.

– I have pointed out in some Twitter messages how the Labor Party through much of the pandemic has oscillated between thinking that the government has been too strict one day and too lax the next, he tells VG.

– The government’s handling has meant that Norway has fewer deaths and hospitalizations than Finland, Denmark and Sweden, while we have managed to keep the society more open than many other countries, adds Fossen.

“He takes liberties with the facts”

Comments during the tweet criticize the press manager, who has worked for NRK for many years.

“Was veracity also irrelevant to you when you were a journalist?” One of the commenters writes.

The waterfall is also criticized for not linking to the article.

“A good rule of thumb is that people who share articles via screenshots and not links are technically incompetent or take liberties with facts that make them not want you to read the source,” writes another.

– There was no conscious thought behind linking or not linking. I accept that criticism and will keep it in mind until next time, replies Fossen.