The useful thing about Kirkup is that his primary interest is the democratic process, including free speech, organisational accountability and journalistic freedom. GRA reform is an example of where the process fails. So he gives Janice Turner full credit for asking the right questions. He then highlights the completely inappropriate response, including from the Guardian, Independent and BBC.
A lot of people read him, OK often men, in a way that they would not read an article about the toxic mess that GRA reform has become.