Home Office funds Sky 'propaganda' show with £400,000 of taxpayers' money

The cash will be spent on Sky's eight-part show Border Force, which focuses on the UK Border Agency and its war on illegal immigrants.

Border Force: The Home Office is working with Sky on the fly-on-the-wall TV series

Opposition MPs last night lambasted the decision to dip into public funds to fund the series, saying it was nothing short of propaganda.

They accused the Government of misusing Home Office cash which would be better spent employing more border patrol staff.

Most viewers will not even be able to watch the programme as it will be shown on the subscriber channel Sky One rather than terrestrial TV.

The Government has signed a socalled "advertiser-funded" deal with Sky, which will see it meet the costs of developing and making the programme.

In return for its £400,000, the Government will receive valuable exposure for the work it is doing in policing Britain's borders.

The programme makers will have exclusive access to the UK Border Agency, which was pilloried as soon as it was unveiled earlier this year.

Because of a budget shortfall, it was unable to search for illegal immigrants at weekends. And the 25,000-strong force, made up of ex-Customs, immigration and UK visa staff, was not even given its own uniform as officials wrangled over the design.

Sky says the "observational" documentary series will go behind the scenes to see what really goes on in the battle against illegal immigrants. The "stars" will be the border-control teams at Heathrow Terminal 3, Calais and Dover.

When the programme, made by the independent production company Steadfast, goes out it will be introduced as 'in association with' or 'sponsored by' the Home Office.

It is unclear whether viewers will be told the Government has actually paid for the show. Conservative MP David Davies, who sits on the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: "It is absolutely disgraceful they are doing this. It is simply going to become an advert for the Government and no doubt for the minister responsible.

"The money they are putting into this programme might have been enough to pay for ten border police personnel, who could have been protecting this country rather than funding this publicity exercise for the Government."

Liberal Democrat culture spokesman Don Foster said: "It sounds to me like they are crossing the line between party political propaganda and what is helpful to the public."

Media watchdog Ofcom's rules do not prevent the Government from funding television programmes.

But its rules say a sponsor must not influence the content and scheduling in a way which affects the editorial independence of the channel.

The Home Office said: "The important message is that it is a good use of taxpayers' money. The series will allow the public to better understand the work of the UKBA."