Scottish Labour makes BBC complaint about Alex Salmond Question Time appearance
A complaint from Scottish Labour has been made to BBC director general Mark Thompson about the appearance of Scottish first minister Alex Salmond appearing on an episode Question Time.
According to The Herald, the Labour Party attempted to block Salmond’s appearance on the BBC1 programme, taking place in Liverpool, but was unsuccessful, and will now make a formal complaint to the BBC Trust claiming it unfair that the SNP leader be given the platform during the Holyrood election campaign, one that was not open to other competing parties.
The BBC has rejected the complaint, claiming that Questions Time was able to achieve impartiality across the UK during a number of different elections and a referendum through the careful selection of panellists representing different parties.
“On this week’s programme Labour is to be represented by Peter Hain, the Conservatives by Michael Howard, the Liberal Democrats by Chris Huhne and the SNP by Alex Salmond. There are clear and public BBC guidelines regarding the fair treatment of candidates in constituencies during election campaigns,” the spokesperson added.
David Whitton of Scottish Labour claimed the appearance of the SNP Leader highlighted a ‘BBC bias’ and queried why Salmond failed to appear on the edition of the programme that broadcast in Edinburgh recently instead.