LEADERS OF SNP AND PLAID CYMRU ON ELECTION DEBATES

LEADERS OF SNP AND PLAID CYMRU ON ELECTION DEBATES

The leaders of the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru, Alex Salmond
MP MSP and Ieuan Wyn Jones AM have taken the unusual step of writing to
the heads of the international press bureaux to highlight how the
impartiality of the British Broadcasting Company is compromised by the
current proposals for the leaders debate which cut out three of the four
countries which make up the UK and two parties of government.

They have also written a joint letter to BBC Director General Mark
Thompson stating that the BBC’s insistence in denying fair competition of
ideas could endanger the conduct of a free election.

Writing to the international press the two leaders state:

"The BBC's proposal effectively disenfranchises the people of Scotland and
Wales. The format as currently devised makes no allowances for the reality
of the devolution settlement which sees the Scottish Parliament and the
Welsh Assembly - and indeed the Northern Irish Assembly - responsible for
a number of key policy areas including health and education. We believe
this is a retrograde step by the BBC which reflects an overly centralised,
metropolitan and outdated attitude and which fails to meet the needs of
three of the constituent nations of the United Kingdom.

"As yet, no satisfactory measures have been put in place to ensure
that balanced coverage, reflecting the different political make-up of the
United Kingdom.

"Around the world, there are excellent examples of state broadcasters
who do manage to achieve balance in far more complex political situations
–Canada’s CBC being a notable example. It is hugely disappointing the BBC
lacks the ambition to even try.

"It is extremely sad that after almost 90 years of being a world respected
independent broadcaster, the BBC has allowed itself to be politically
compromised in this fashion. It is only right that the wider international
audience is made aware of the extent to which the BBC is failing to
represent the people of Scotland and Wales in this way.”

In the letter to BBC Director General, the leaders write:

“You will be aware that your own guidelines as well as OFCOM’s code of
practice does not entitle your organisation to have unfettered discretion
in how you comply with your duty to impartiality during a UK General
Election. Your correspondence with our parties does however lead us to
believe that the discretion you have exercised to date in relation to your
planned coverage of the 2010 UK General Election is in breach of your
obligations with respect to due impartiality.

A healthy democracy requires a fair competition between the alternative
policy positions being offered at election time. For politics to be about
healthy debate, the winning of hearts and minds, rather than about prior
tribal political affiliation, then parties in reasonable competition must
be given similar opportunity to present their policy platform to the
electorate.

“The medium of television has a unique ability at election time to bring
the competition of ideas, which is at the heart of the democratic system,
into the living room of every voter in the country.

“Without a properly informed electorate, the conditions for free election
are not possible.”

Commenting, Mr Jones said:

“Unless broadcasts are held in a fair, impartial and accurate way, the
legitimacy and integrity of the General Election results will be called
into question. That cannot be an acceptable state of affairs for anyone.

“The action the BBC has taken in putting together these plans is nothing
short of a betrayal of the principles upon which the editorial integrity
of the BBC is built.”

Mr Salmond added:

"It is very sad that after almost 90 years of being a world respected
independent broadcaster held in the highest regard, the BBC has allowed
itself to become politically compromised setting up these debates.

“The BBC’s proposal effectively disenfranchises the people of Scotland,
Wales and indeed, Northern Ireland and cuts out two governing parties. The
debates as they currently stand reflect an overly centralised,
metropolitan attitude which fails to meet the needs of three of the
constituent nations of the UK."