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Radio show unfair
Shetland Today
Thursday 21 Apr 2005 THE BBC has been blasted by general election candidates in Orkney and Shetland who claim that a hustings programme is putting them at a disadvantage. BBC Radio Scotland's 12 to 2 programme, due to be broadcast on Tuesday, will include a one-hour live hustings from Lerwick Town Hall. But only four of the candidates - from the Labour, SNP, Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties - have been invited to sit on the panel. Candidates from the other four parties contesting the Shetland and Orkney seat - the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP), the Legalise Cannabis Alliance (LCA), the Free Scotland Party and the UK Independence Party (UKIP) - have been told they will have to sit in the audience. In addition they will only be given up to seven tickets to give to their supporters and will only be allowed to ask one question. Meanwhile, the four candidates invited to sit on the panel will receive 15 tickets to give to their supporters and will, at the chairman's discretion, be free to speak whenever they like. SSP candidate John Aberdein and Free Scotland Party candidate Brian Nugent have both complained to the BBC, claiming they are being treated unfairly. The BBC has defended the decision saying that it is following national guidelines on election broadcasts which stipulate that candidates are only invited to become panellists if they represent political parties which won seats at the last Westminster elections. Mr Aberdein said he was particularly angry about the decision as the SSP gained won almost as many votes as the Labour party at the last Scottish Parliament elections in 2003. "By what right and by reference to what principle in its charter or elsewhere does the BBC come into a constituency and give superior airtime and other privileges to a candidate who was fifth at the last election?" Mr Aberdein asked. Mr Nugent said: "This is unacceptable. If there are eight candidates in Shetland then there should be eight candidates on a hustings platform in Shetland. "What right does the BBC have to decide who should have prominence? That is up to the voters in Shetland to decide on 5th May. "I feel that the BBC are overstepping the mark and actually interfering with this election. Why bother to come to Shetland and not reflect the election that is taking place here and try to impose an election on Shetland that is taking elsewhere?" The decision has also been criticised by LCA candidate Paul Cruickshank, UKIP candidate Scott Dyble as well as Liberal Democrat candidate Alistair Carmichael who said he would take the matter up with the BBC. "I thought it was a surprising decision," he said. "The SSP are fielding candidates in every Scottish seat. I don't think they are being treated fairly."
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