Thursday, March 18, 2010
Silenced by lawyers
Today's Independent reports that the BBC has shelved a Panorama documentary about the business affairs of the Tory billionaire Lord Ashcroft, due to a threat of legal action.
They say that the BBC has received "several very heavy letters" from Lord Ashcroft's lawyers and that there is now little or no prospect of the investigation being broadcast before the general election, if it goes out at all.
No doubt the Tories will be delighted but they cannot believe that this is the end to the controversy over Lord Ashcroft. The Baron of Belize continues to generate huge numbers of questions about his role in the Conservative Party, whether he has met the undertakings he gave when he took his seat in the House of Lords and also who knew what and when in the Tory hierarchy.
Whether this programme is aired or not these questions will persist throughout the General Election.
They say that the BBC has received "several very heavy letters" from Lord Ashcroft's lawyers and that there is now little or no prospect of the investigation being broadcast before the general election, if it goes out at all.
No doubt the Tories will be delighted but they cannot believe that this is the end to the controversy over Lord Ashcroft. The Baron of Belize continues to generate huge numbers of questions about his role in the Conservative Party, whether he has met the undertakings he gave when he took his seat in the House of Lords and also who knew what and when in the Tory hierarchy.
Whether this programme is aired or not these questions will persist throughout the General Election.
