Radio 1 has a rethink and stops bleeping the Pogues

The station was derided earlier this week for bleeping out the words 'slut' and 'faggot' from the 20-year-old song, saying they could offend listeners.

But last night station controller Andy Parfitt said: 'After careful consideration, I have decided the decision to edit the Pogues song Fairytale of New York was wrong.'

He added: 'While we would never condone prejudice of any kind, we know our audiences are smart enough to distinguish between maliciousness and creative freedom.

'In the context of this song, I do not feel that there is any negative intent behind the use of the words, hence the reversal of the decision.'

The decision to edit the song, a duet between Pogues singer Shane MacGowan and the late Kirsty Mac-Coll, baffled listeners because Radio 1 has played it uncensored since its release in 1987.

Other BBC stations, including Radio 2, were continuing to play the uncensored version.

MacColl's mother Jean said earlier yesterday: 'I think it's pathetic, I really do. It's absolute nonsense. Really, this is too ridiculous.'

She added: 'Shane has written the most beautiful song and these characters live, they really live, and you have such sympathy for them. These are a couple of characters who are not in the first flush of youth. They are what they are - this is the way they speak.

'Today we have a lot of gratuitous vulgarity and effing and whatever from people all over, which I think is quite unnecessary. But these are characters and they speak like that.

'It's like a play and it's very amusing and sad.'

LibDem culture spokesman Don Foster also criticised Radio 1 for censoring the song, saying: 'The idea that people will suddenly be offended by these lyrics, in the context they're in, after 20 years seems ludicrous.

'Their decision today raises serious questions about how far political correctness should be allowed to stifle creativity and artistic freedom.

'The radio station is clearly being over-zealous and over-sensitive as a result of their failure to act on previous far more serious incidents.'

Explaining his decision to reverse the ban, Mr Parfitt said: 'Radio 1 does not play homophobic lyrics or condone bullying of any kind. It is not always easy to get this right, mindful of our responsibility to our young audience.

'The unedited version will be played from now on.

'I want to stress that everyone at Radio 1 and its music team take the issue of language very seriously and enormous care is taken in ensuring that offensive language is edited from records where necessary.

'I understand absolutely, in a climate where questions about editorial standards are at the fore, the thinking behind this decision.'

When Radio 1 first bleeped out the words 'slut' and 'faggot', it explained: 'We are playing an edited version. It is a word members of our audience would find offensive.

'We continually review the language used in music and the impact it will have on our audience. The judgment was made by our head of music, who felt the time was right.'

Fairytale Of New York reached number two in the charts in 1987. Fans are campaigning for it to reach number one this year.

Miss MacColl died in 2000, aged 41, when she was hit by a speedboat while diving during a holiday in Mexico.

Last year Radio 1 breakfast DJ Chris Moyles provoked controversy when he dismissed a ringtone as 'gay'. But the BBC governors ruled that the word means 'lame' or ' rubbish' to young people.