Monday, March 13, 2023
UK Government hypocrisy over Lineker exposed by Home Office video
Having been bombarded on social media by the protests of Tory MPs and Ministers at Gary Lineker's very reasonable tweet about their illegal immigration bill, so called because it breaks international law, I was astonished to find this report in the Guardian about the Home Office fronting their propaganda video about the bill with clips featuring BBC newsreaders.
The paper says that Home Office officials were forced to alter a Twitter post about the illegal migration bill to remove an image of the newsreader Huw Edwards after complaints from the BBC:
The tweet, which contains a video explainer for the divisive legislation, was posted on Tuesday by the Home Office from its official account and initially the accompanying image seen on Twitter feeds was of Edwards, the veteran broadcaster.
The Guardian understands that the department did not ask permission to use the clip of Edwards featured in the video and the broadcaster personally objected to the juxtaposition.
On Wednesday, the BBC asked the Home Office to remove the footage. Rather than delete it, the department amended the clip so that Edwards no longer appeared in the first frame, although he does remain in the video.
A BBC spokesperson said: “We contacted the Home Office last week to object to their use of BBC footage and asked them to remove it.”
Contrary to the Home Office's claim that the video, which can be seen here, should not be perceived as party political but as an explainer to help the public understand the new policy. it is in fact highly partisan and emotive propaganda.
This government needs to make up its mind. It cannot seek to censor high profile personalities who work for the BBC because they are critical of their policies, whilst at the same time using clips from other BBC personalities without their permission, to promote the same controversial policy.
It seems that the impartiality the Tories want for the BBC only exists when it suits them.
The paper says that Home Office officials were forced to alter a Twitter post about the illegal migration bill to remove an image of the newsreader Huw Edwards after complaints from the BBC:
The tweet, which contains a video explainer for the divisive legislation, was posted on Tuesday by the Home Office from its official account and initially the accompanying image seen on Twitter feeds was of Edwards, the veteran broadcaster.
The Guardian understands that the department did not ask permission to use the clip of Edwards featured in the video and the broadcaster personally objected to the juxtaposition.
On Wednesday, the BBC asked the Home Office to remove the footage. Rather than delete it, the department amended the clip so that Edwards no longer appeared in the first frame, although he does remain in the video.
A BBC spokesperson said: “We contacted the Home Office last week to object to their use of BBC footage and asked them to remove it.”
Contrary to the Home Office's claim that the video, which can be seen here, should not be perceived as party political but as an explainer to help the public understand the new policy. it is in fact highly partisan and emotive propaganda.
This government needs to make up its mind. It cannot seek to censor high profile personalities who work for the BBC because they are critical of their policies, whilst at the same time using clips from other BBC personalities without their permission, to promote the same controversial policy.
It seems that the impartiality the Tories want for the BBC only exists when it suits them.
