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BNP can come back on Question Time every year, says BBC boss
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor28.10.09
The BNP is entitled to be invited back onto Question Time once a year on the basis of the public support it is getting, the BBC's director-general said today.
Mark Thompson also suggested that Radio 4's Any Questions? would also have to give access to leader Nick Griffin if the party's level of support continued.
Mr Thompson rejected claims that the Corporation had given Mr Griffin airtime on its flagship political programme to boost audience ratings. Eight million viewers tuned in compared to the usual two to three million.
Appearing before the Lords' communications select committee, he ducked claims that Question Time had been turned into a “show trial” and had possibly increased sympathy for the BNP leader.
Mr Thompson refused to give a view on Mr Griffin's treatment, claiming that as director-general he may have to adjudicate on complaints about the programme. Peers pointed out to Mr Thompson that it was “convenient” that this role prevented him from commenting on the “lynch mob” allegations.
“It might be convenient, but it also happens to be true,” said Mr Thompson.
He said the number of complaints about Question Time numbered in “the low hundreds” and that Mr Griffin could complain to Ofcom.
Mr Thompson took personal responsibility for the final decision to allow Mr Griffin to appear on the BBC1 programme last week.
He said he had consulted non-executive directors of the BBC's board on the issue, but under the Corporation's royal charter it was up to him alone to make the final call as “editor-in-chief”.
Mr Thompson made clear for the first time that the party could be back on an annual basis. “The underlying level of support for the BNP is around two to three per cent. It would appear by the way to be unchanged, if not a little down in the days after the broadcast rather than up.
“In the European election, they achieved about six per cent, just under a million of the votes cast,” he said.
“This isn't an absolutely precise algorithmic science.
“You would be talking about, in the case of a party that continued to receive that level of support, appearances which would probably be no more than one a year, it could be less.”
Reader views (21)
Paul, London said "Why not speak to your local MP if you are so disturbed by immigration rather than canvas on behalf of the BNP."
My local MP has recently been quoted as saying that she is proud of the fact that one-third of her constituents are from Africa and of course she doesn't live there. What would be the point of talking to her?
Paul, the reason why the BNP have got a foothold in British politics is the inability of the mainstream parties to talk about mass immigration other than repeat the mantra that it is somehow good for us.
- Mark, South-East London
@ Paul, London
No Paul, it makes no difference whether the BNP are represented on the panel or not. I am saying we need to discuss issues that concern mainstream voters without fear of prejudice from the Far Left or any other lobby group or stupid individuals making assumptions like yourself.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
Frank, Home Counties, England.
So you seriously think that the BNP will resolve this concern in a rational and logical way.
If you don't recognise they have a hidden agenda then good luck.
Why not speak to your local MP if you are so disturbed by immigration rather than canvas on behalf of the BNP.
I wouldn't say they have no place to be on Question Time however I am able to recognise that they are not a normal political party and that everything they say has a hidden message.
Perhaps I am nieve or perhaps not.
- Paul, London
@ Paul, London
Maturity on both sides might be nice. I believe it was the Far Left that were causing the trouble outside the BBC?
There are many main stream voters with grave concerns about how Labour have trashed our society with their minority-centric, politically-correct, social engineering failed policies.
You don't, for instance, force integration from the top down, that happens naturally at grass roots. We need to manage sensibly the massive flow of immigration. We need to reintroduce common sense back into our politics. Most importantly we need to have some semblance of democracy returned. Any chance of a vote on the EU Constitution that Labour pledged us at the last election?
Labour is the most despised government in modern history. Mending our society will take a mammoth effort.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
I don't see why the B.N.P. should be excluded from appearing on Question Time.After all there have been several appearances by dippy celebraties over the years, one more should not make any difference.
- Ronald Whitten, Chesterfield England
SOme of the BNP supporter may be able to help but I couldn't work out the BNP policy on criminals.
Is it that they will be among the groups to be kicked out? If so what about all the hard core members with convictions, even Mr Griffin has a conviction, or will they be able to to decipher good criminals from bad criminals - confused ?
- Sidney, West London
All sectors of society need to have a voice, even the intellectually challenged.
- Greg, London
The more appearances the BNP get on QT, the more the other parties should realise they are doing something wrong. If all was fine in the political world, I doubt the BNP would be getting as much publicity as they are now.
- Dom, london
"Perhaps next time we could have a mature and proper debate on the issues...
- Frank, Home Counties, England."
But the BNP will be on the show?
- Paul, London
I don't think that is right at all. Once a year. Disgracefull.
- Mike Burns, Manchester
This is good news as we live in a democracy.
- Ken Joralemon, London, UK
Will it be called "Grill Griffin Time" instead?
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, Hants
Why only once a year?
- Lee, Southend
Whatever any of us think of Nick Griffin's views, free speech is one of the pillars of democracy.If Abu Hamza has been allowed to express his extremist views in public, why not the BNP?
Remember Voltaire who said "I disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it".
- Martin Fielding, London, England
Let them come back.... we all need a good laugh at stupidity and ignorance.!!!
- Janicebyrne, sussex
The BNP should be on the programme every week, so we can become accustomed to bigotry and racism and fascist sympathies more clearly
- Keith Price, Luton England
The BNP are not entitled to anything. It is not a properly constituted organistion and on that basis it is illegal. The BNP MEPs shopuld be recalled and fired(without compensation). Just because 3% of the population have some sympathy for them (ignorant idiots)that is no reason to give them air time. I am sure there a lot of Mulsims who have sympathies with the Taliban. Does this give the loathsome Abu Hamza or Ossama Bin Laden the right of a "Question Time" appearance. This smacks of the BBC chasing ratings
- Strongbow Sullivan, Paris,France.
Once a year, o what a priviledge (not). Nick Griffin gave the show its highest ratings in decades and yet they attacked like true lynch mob style. Any question that would have given Nick a platform to speak was shot down by the presenter and obvioulsy he allowed the question that attcked Mr Griffin, VERY BIAS indeed! Many people do not agree with Labour policies, it would be nice if Question time had an entire panel and audience of right wing supportors and we had Jack Staw or Gordon Brown sitting in the middle for an hour gettting attacked from all sides, see how they would perform.
- Porkie Pies, Land of make Believe, UK
Perhaps next time we could have a mature and proper debate on the issues that have seen a rise in support for the Far Right?
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
Once a year! And why not?
We'd all be up for it in the last week of December. The traditional pantomime season has died a woeful death on TV.
- Carrie, London
It was a lynch mob on QT. The whole thing was rigged against Mr Griffin so he could not speak and so the voting public did not get to hear what he has to say on current topics. I would say the BBC QT appearance will gain him and his party a lot of further interest and sympathy. Totally over cooked by the BBC. Shame.
- R Smith, london
