Telegraph journalist and chair of the Lucy Cavendish Novel Competition Allison Pearson has engaged in appalling behaviour on Twitter today. Another tweeter made an angry, hasty tweet about her attitude to the NHS and she launched a barrage upon him, finding out and looping in his employer, threatening to sue him for defamation and telling him “You’re finished”.
He swiftly deleted the tweet and apologised, but she did not let up. Showing no remorse, mercy or compassion, even after he begged her to stop, offered to donate money to charity and said he was battling suicidal thoughts and was caring for his young son who had special needs, she continued to shout and roar at him, haranguing and taunting. I’m sure she thought she was a great warrior altogether. It was utterly shocking to read. I hope that gentleman is doing ok and wish him all the best. I doubt he’s finished. I’ve worked for large companies including pharma and I strongly doubt this would be considered a HR matter.
What Pearson did this morning, on the other hand, was vile and unconscionable. No writer of integrity should have anything to do with such behaviour. It is incumbent on everyone who has had any association with the Lucy Cavendish novel competition to publicly disavow Allison Pearson’s obnoxious and cruel behaviour, especially as she has shown no remorse.
Contact information to make one’s concerns known to the Lucy Cavendish competition is here: https://www.fictionprize.co.uk/our-judges.html
Please show the civility Pearson failed to, if writing a complaint.
Susan Lanigan - WWI Historical Fiction 