Mark Thompson must resign

BBC NEWS | Politics | BBC defends BNP move amid protest: "Labour MP Diane Abbott - the first black woman to be elected to Parliament - told the BBC's Breakfast programme that Question Time was the wrong platform for the BNP.

'If you are a black or Asian viewer tonight and you switch on the television and you see Nick Griffin on Question Time - it's not a programme that's going to scrutinise his views, it's not that sort of programme, it's politics as entertainment.

'The first time I went on Question Time was 22 years ago. People were really pleased - they didn't remember what I said but they saw a young black woman on Question Time and they thought 'Now black people are part of the mainstream'. That is the effect the BNP will get tonight, that's what they want from it, that's why they're so thrilled.'"

Diane Abbott hits the nail. Griffin has won already, merely by being on.

It's not a freedom of speech issue. It's a competence to manage a public broadcaster issue. Mark Thompson should have ruled Griffin's appearance out. Period. The fact he is apologising for it means he isn't fit to run a public corporation.

Mark Thompson must resign.

It's a national disgrace that we have a fascist offered primetime tv slot on state broadcaster which we all own (when bbc wouldn't broadcast appeal for gaza etc). Greg Dyke was forced to quit over a far lesser (and debatable) "point of principle". Let's take the bbc back into public ownership.

Malky
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