BBC ALREADY IN BREACH OF OBLIGATIONS – HOSIE

BBC ALREADY IN BREACH OF OBLIGATIONS – HOSIE

SUPPOSED TO BE SCOTLAND’S NATIONAL BROADCASTER – NOT PUBLICITY AGENTS FOR
THE LONDON-BASED PARTIES

Scottish National Party General Election Campaign Co-ordinator Stewart
Hosie MP said that the SNP will be submitting a Freedom of Information
request in order to the BBC to establish the extent to which it has been
in formal discussions with the three London-based political parties about
the proposed TV election debates.

On BBC Radio Good Morning Scotland, the BBC’s Chief Political Adviser Ric
Bailey admitted that they had been in formal talks with the Tories, Labour
and Lib Dems about these debates – and only now are proposing to discuss
the issue with the SNP.

Mr Hosie said:

“By making an agreement with the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems about these
debates before even talking to the Scottish National Party, our legal
advisers believe there is a prima facia case that the BBC have already
breached their obligations to fairness and impartiality.

“The BBC is supposed to be Scotland’s national broadcaster – not a
publicity agent for the three London-based parties – and they have already
failed in their duty to their Scottish audience. It cannot be right to
give far more election coverage in Scotland to parties which have far less
support than the SNP.

“It is extraordinary and quite unacceptable, and the SNP will be
submitting a Freedom of Information request to the BBC to establish the
extent of their negotiations with the London-based parties – in terms of
meetings, letters, emails, etc – about agreeing a format for these debates
which is clearly unfair to their Scottish audience.

“Instead of proper consultation, we had a panicky phone call last night
from the BBC after the matter had been publicised. In contrast, we have
had useful discussions with Sky, and the priority now is to have urgent
meetings with the broadcasters to ask them formally what there proposals
for Scotland and the SNP are.

“As well as setting aside their own obligations to impartiality and to
Scotland, the BBC are also pursuing a fundamentally flawed proposal in
terms of the democratic process in the UK.

“The BBC’s Chief Political Adviser Ric Bailey said that we have a ‘Prime
Ministerial system’, which is simply not the case. We have a
parliamentary system of election, and the SNP are playing a full role in
that process as a major party – we are currently leading in the polls in
Scotland for the General Election, as well as being a party of government.

“And given that the outcome of the election could be a hung Westminster
Parliament, it is entirely possible that the votes of SNP MPs could play a
crucial role in the next House of Commons, as we seek to maximise
Scotland’s voice and influence.”