In December last year, on the BBC Alan Davies show, BBC employees compared Second World War hero the late Norris McWhirter to a Nazi Brownshirt and the Freedom Association (of which Mr McWhirter was the former Chairman) to the BNP.
I felt that this was unacceptable and tabled a Commons Motion condemning the BBC's remarks. I also wrote to the BBC Director General, Mr Mark Thompson to complain. I received a ridiculous and quite unsatisfactory letter in response.
For this reason, I raised this in the Commons today during Culture and Media questions. The response of the Secretary of State, Jeremy Hunt, was encouraging. He acknowledged the offensive nature of the remarks and also stated that the next Chairman of the BBC would be expected to follow closely BBC guidelines on impartiality.
I certainly hope so. It seems that too often the BBC gets away with smearing those with Conservative affiliations. Political impartiality should mean what it says.
For more details click on HERE.
My Commons Motion is on THIS website.
"I also wrote to the BBC Director General, Mr Mark Thompson to complain. I received a ridiculous and quite unsatisfactory letter in response."
ReplyDeleteI get them all the time when I e-mail an official body, a short letter starting with with "Dear Mr X we take what you say very seriously" or "I appreciate your concern Mr. X" and then goes onto say nothing at all, apart from don't waste our time.