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October 8, 2014updated 09 Oct 2014 6:22pm

Coventry Telegraph politics correspondent resigns and threatens publisher with tribunal

By William Turvill

Coventry Telegraph political correspondent Les Reid has resigned and warned he may sue publisher Trinity Mirror.

Reid also said it was “good news” editor Alun Thorne is leaving the paper this month.

Announcing his resignation on Twitter, Reid said he was planning a book on the “decline of public interest journalism”.

Reid also said he would be writing more on the subject of Coventry City Football Club, which announced it had sold its stadium to London Wasps.

He tweeted: “My view as #CCFC fan since admin failed was that if fans want club at Ricoh long-term, only likely way was sale to whoever owns club…

“My view as #CCFC fan & political journalist has also been that council & ACL should not be allowed to escape scrutiny & win propaganda war…

“I've resigned from @covtelegraph & I'll reveal more on #ccfc/Ricoh saga. Major issues for journalism. Good news editor 'leaving'.”

After receiving tweets from a number of well-wishers, Reid said: “Thanks all. I resigned from @covtelegraph last week declaring intentions of tribunal & book on decline of public interest journalism.”

Last year, Reid avoided redundancy after opposition to the proposal was made in Parliament.

Midlands Journalist of the Year and Daily News Reporter of the Year at the time, Reid was believed to be among six journalists on the paper facing the axe.

His redundancy was proposed as part of Trinity Mirror’s planned 92 job cuts at a regional level announced in January.

Within two weeks an Early Day Motion was put forward by Coventry South Labour MP Jim Cunningham opposing the cuts.

The motion, which was signed by 28 backbenchers, specifically criticised Trinity Mirror’s decision to make the Coventry Telegraph's post of political correspondent redundant.

Trinity Mirror declined to comment.

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