Friday, April 23, 2010

English controlled BBC reject SNP and Plaid Cymru appeal to be treated fairly, discrimination despite being the parties of Government













Dear All

The SNP and Plaid Cymru have lost their bid to overturn the BBC’s decision to exclude them from the televised party leaders’ debates.

Is anyone surprised that an English Broadcasting Corporation based in London should back up London based political parties determining what people in Scotland should hear on TV?

The decision has been described by Alex Salmond, the Head of the Scottish Government as a “democratic disgrace”.

In a sham hearing yesterday the BBC Trust said it had rejected the appeal against the nationalist party’s absence from the corporation’s leaders’ debate on April 29.

The decision was made by an ad hoc committee of five trustees, including the trustees for Scotland and Wales.

And less we forget the trustees were appointed by the English Government in Westminster.

Alex Salmond said;

“Today’s decision shows that the BBC has given up all pretence of being a national broadcaster for Scotland. Fairness and impartiality have been thrown out in what amounts to blatant discrimination against both parties and countries.”

The BBC have a Scottish debate pencilled in fronted by Glen Campbell, I would say the SNP have three options;

not turn up.

turn up and make a protest through-out the entire recording.

accept being treated as a second class citizen in their own country.

I would go with option of protest.

The BBC Trust yesterday said;

“The director-general had not erred in his approach as to which parties to include in the BBC’s Prime Ministerial debate. Noting the level of past electoral support and the number of candidates standing for the SNP and Plaid Cymru, the committee concluded that the DG’s approach to impartiality was appropriate.”

And there you have the nub, English people attempting to rig the Westminster election for the benefit of London based parties.

BBC Trust Chairman Sir Michael Lyons said;

“The trust is fully aware that this is an important matter for licence fee-payers in Scotland and Wales and the political parties of those nations. We are also fully aware that the BBC has a duty to ensure impartiality in covering the General Election. We have considered the appeal very carefully against BBC editorial and election guidelines and in line with our responsibilities set out in the charter.”

The people of Scotland and Wales were always going to lose this appeal.

I would say to Alex Salmond;

‘It is time to be a little less nice, a little less understanding’.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

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