News / Fox slams “undemocratic” BBC
INDEPENDENT Shetland candidate for the elections to the Scottish Parliament, Billy Fox, is considering his options after being told he can’t take a seat on the main panel during BBC Radio Shetland’s hustings, to be recorded on Friday 22 April in the Shetland Museum and Archives.
BBC policy only allows the candidates of the four main parties on to the main panel, with independent candidates or those of smaller parties required to take a seat in the audience.
Last year, UKIP candidate Robert Smith participated in a similar event for the Westminster election from a seat in the audience.
Mr Fox has been in touch with BBC Scotland but was told by managers in Glasgow that no exception would be made.
On Monday, the 57 year old said he felt treated discriminated against and was considering how to respond to the refusal.
“This is a state of affairs I am very unhappy with. It is undemocratic and it is discriminatory, and at the moment I am deliberating on what actions I am going to take on it,” he said on Monday afternoon.
BBC Scotland issued the following statement: “The BBC strives to ensure that our election coverage is fair and impartial.
“We take into account a number of factors, including previous electoral support at similar elections, when deciding on our panels for any election debates we broadcast.
“In this instance the four main parties will be represented on the main panel but we have also invited the independent candidate to attend in the audience, which will allow him to participate in the debate.”
Orkney independent candidate James Stockan has raised exactly the same issues with the BBC and described its decision not to invite him to sit on the main panel as “a great injustice”.
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