BBC 'spends £50,000' on 'meaningless' poll asking the world if Obama or McCain should be president

The BBC has come under fire for wasting thousands of pounds in taxpayers money on a 'meaningless' global survey about who people want to be the next US president.

Corporation chiefs have been criticised for spending an estimated £55,000 on an international poll of more than 23,000 people about the American elections.

Citizens from 23 countries were contacted by a polling agency hired by the BBC World Service to find out if they favoured Barack Obama or John McCain.

But the move has created anger from critics who claim the entire project is a massive waste of time as it is only the views of Americans that matter.

They also point out that the US presidential elections are already the subject of endless polls in the US, which provide much more useful information.

The BBC's poll, which contacted people as far afield as Australia, Panama, Nigeria, Mexico and the UAE, found  the majority wanted Obama.

All countries covered in the poll, including China, India, USA and UK, would prefer to see Obama elected U.S. president ahead of Republican John McCain.

And in 17 of the 22 nations, people expect relations between the U.S. and the rest of the world to improve if Obama wins.

Public money was spent getting pollster GlobeScan to interview face-to-face or by phone more than 23,000 people globally for survey.

An expert from a respected polling agency estimated that the total cost of the project was more than £55,000.

The BBC World Service, which commissioned it, is funded by a parliamentary grant by the government.

Many feel, given the tough economic times, this kind of project does not represent good value for money for the public.

Conservative MP Philip Davies, who sits on the culture, media and sport select committee, said: "I think this is an appalling waste of taxpayers' money, which has no bearing on anything.

Ill repute: The poll showed few are convinced that America's international reputation would be enhanced with John McCain, shown here with running mate Sarah Palin, as president

"There are dozens of polls coming out from the US all the time. This is completely meaningless whatever the result. It also comes at a time when the BBC are laying off people.

"I don't know if this is to satisfy the curiosity of someone at the BBC . If it is, it is a very expensive way of satisfying it."

The poll found that in the UK there was 59 per cent backing for Democrat Barack Obama and just 9 per cent for Republican McCain.

An average of 49 percent across the countries preferred Obama compared with 12 percent preferring McCain. Some four in 10 did not take a view.

In the United States, three polls taken since the Republican party convention ended last Thursday show McCain with a lead of 1 to 4 percentage points - within the margin of error - and two others show the two neck-and-neck.

The countries most optimistic that an Obama presidency would improve relations were America's NATO allies - Canada (69 per cent), France (62 per cent), Germany (61 per cent), Britain (54 per cent), Italy (64 per cent - as well as Australia (62 per cent), Kenya (87 per cent) and Nigeria (71 per cent).

Philip Davies: The poll was pointless

A similar BBC/Globescan poll conducted ahead of the 2004 U.S presidential election found that, of 35 countries polled, 30 would have preferred to see Democratic nominee John Kerry, rather than the incumbent George Bush, who was elected.

GlobeScan chairman, Doug Miller said: "Given how negative America's international image is at present, it is quite striking that only one in five think a McCain presidency would improve on the Bush administration's relations with the world."

A total of 23,531 people were surveyed in countries also including Lebanon, Poland and Singapore.

Despite going through tough financial times the BBC, which suffered a lower than expected licence fee, has repeatedly been accused of wasting money.

Last year it spent an estimated £250,000 in licence fee cash on a court battle to block publication of a report into its alleged bias when covering the Middle East.

This year it sent an army of staff being sent to cover the Beijing Olympics which dwarfed the number of British athletes competing at the games.

About 440 employees went to China this summer - compared to just over 300 competitors going to represent Britain.

It also came under fire for spending cash on the political diaries of Alastair Campbell and Cherie Blair.

The corporation also paid around £200million for the rights to screen Formula One motor racing - £50million more than ITV paid for its current deal - despite having no rival bidders.

In recent years there has also  been lavish expenditure on on-air promotional make-overs.

Then in this year annual report revealed that the top ten executives at the BBC shared a combined pay increase of more than £700,000.

While the World Service gets its cash from government there are concerns that the culture of wasting public money is the same.

A spokesman for the BBC said: "BBC World Service has an agreement with polling company Globescan to conduct field work around the world on its behalf. The agreement is confidential but the cost of this particular poll is a small fraction of that stated by the Daily Mail.

"BBC World Service is aimed at a global audience, and its broadcasts in 32 languages are a crucial element in how Britain is seen by other countries.

"One of the many ways in which we interact with our audiences is by listening to them through our polls. The polls also provide unique news content which we use across many parts of the BBC.

"The fact that the poll results are reflected in great detail by other news sources around the world, bringing credit to Britain, shows their value."

The spokesman refused to discuss the cost of the poll.