You can just never find an English person when you really want one can you?

Letter to the BBC complaints office…..
‘Talking Politics’, broadcast on Radio 4 - Sat 15 Apr - 11:00.

’I wish to make a very strong complaint regarding this programme. It was discussing devolution and the 'English question'. The show host was Scottish, she talked to Magnus Linklater, a Scottish journalist, then to Mr Campbell Bannerman, Scottish chair of UKIP and finally, Prof Robert Hazell - head of 'The Constitutional Unit'. (Mr Hazell is a Blair poodle, obsessed with driving through NuLabour's vision of English regionalisation - so he spent the entire show rubbishing the prospectus of an English Parliament).

Mr Hazell proceeding to quote research that was years out of date - he affirmed several times that there was absolutely no demand for an English Parliament. He is totally wrong with that statement. Surveys taken in the last 2 years amongst the English population in fact shows a rapidly rising demand for an English Parliament.

Why were there so many Scottish people on, discussing something that is none of their business? Why didn't you have someone on from 'The Campaign for an English Parliament' or Robin Tilbrook, leader of the English Democrats? Or Roger Scruton, well known champion of an English Parliament? Who knows - maybe they weren't Scottish enough?

It just seems so arrogant that the BBC (motto: Nation speaks unto Nation...) should be discussing a nation's destiny WITHOUT any of the representatives of the other side of the argument being invited. Campbell Bannerman is UKIP - so is obsessed with the union, Linklater was as anxious as ever to give a Scottish slant to it - and Hazell - he's merely a mouthpiece of NuLabour.

I always thought that having a debate meant having opinions from ALL SIDES OF THE ARGUMENT, not stuffed with McHomers and yes men....

A SUGGESTION - to redress the balance, why not have a section in this week's programme giving THE OTHER SIDE? Honestly, the sooner the BBC stop being such an emasculated poodle to NuLabour, the better, whatever happened to democratic discussion?’


Reply from Mr Fudge, Waffle Office, Jobsworth Division, BBC –
’I understand you were disappointed with a discussion about an English Parliament on 'Talking Politics' on Radio 4 on 15 April. I note you were unhappy with the number of Scottish people involved in this discussion.

Let me assure you that the BBC remains committed to its policy of impartiality across its entire output and all reporters and presenters are well aware of this. However, I am sure you can appreciate it is not always possible or practical to reflect all the different opinions on a subject within individual programmes. Editors are charged to ensure that, over a reasonable period, they reflect the range of significant views, opinions and trends in their subject area.

I can assure you that the BBC does not seek to denigrate or to promote any view. It seeks rather to identify all significant views, and to test them rigorously and fairly on behalf of the audience. Among other evidence,audience research indicates widespread confidence in the impartiality of the BBC's reporting.

Nevertheless, I appreciate that you feel strongly about this issue. Therefore, I would like to assure you that your e-mail has been registered and has contributed to our daily log which will be made available to the 'Talking Politics' production team and BBC senior management. Comments such as yours can help us in the future’.