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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/11/change-uk-asks-bbc-to-explain-pulling-heidi-allen-have-i-got-news-for-you
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Change UK asks BBC to explain pulling Have I Got News For You | Change UK asks BBC to explain pulling Have I Got News For You |
| (17 days later) | |
| Change UK has written to the BBC to call for a full explanation of the decision not to air an episode of Have I Got News For You featuring its interim leader, Heidi Allen, claiming the broadcaster was providing Nigel Farage with unduly favourable coverage. | Change UK has written to the BBC to call for a full explanation of the decision not to air an episode of Have I Got News For You featuring its interim leader, Heidi Allen, claiming the broadcaster was providing Nigel Farage with unduly favourable coverage. |
| The newly formed party also raised concerns over the fairness of the BBC’s coverage of Change UK and demanded an urgent review of the decision to “exclude” them from a BBC Wales election debate on Sunday before the European elections. | The newly formed party also raised concerns over the fairness of the BBC’s coverage of Change UK and demanded an urgent review of the decision to “exclude” them from a BBC Wales election debate on Sunday before the European elections. |
| Change UK’s campaign coordinator, Chris Leslie, raised concerns and referred to Nigel Farage’s appearance on Have I Got News For You in 2014 in the run-up to the EU parliament elections, although it was unclear if this fell within the pre-election period. | Change UK’s campaign coordinator, Chris Leslie, raised concerns and referred to Nigel Farage’s appearance on Have I Got News For You in 2014 in the run-up to the EU parliament elections, although it was unclear if this fell within the pre-election period. |
| Heidi Allen asks BBC: why did you pull Have I Got News for You? | Heidi Allen asks BBC: why did you pull Have I Got News for You? |
| “Britain’s politics is broken and if we’re going to fix it, people need a chance to hear from the full range of parties standing in the upcoming European elections – including Change UK with our support for a people’s vote and remain,” Leslie, the former Labour MP, wrote in a letter to the BBC director general, Tony Hall. | “Britain’s politics is broken and if we’re going to fix it, people need a chance to hear from the full range of parties standing in the upcoming European elections – including Change UK with our support for a people’s vote and remain,” Leslie, the former Labour MP, wrote in a letter to the BBC director general, Tony Hall. |
| “The BBC has a crucial role as our national broadcaster, but we’re worried that over the past week, it’s got a couple of big calls wrong. This is particularly concerning given that similar decision about Nigel Farage’s appearances over the years appear to have gone the other way. | “The BBC has a crucial role as our national broadcaster, but we’re worried that over the past week, it’s got a couple of big calls wrong. This is particularly concerning given that similar decision about Nigel Farage’s appearances over the years appear to have gone the other way. |
| “Today, we’re asking the BBC to look again and make sure it’s not doing British voters a disservice by giving some parties more favourable treatment than others. | “Today, we’re asking the BBC to look again and make sure it’s not doing British voters a disservice by giving some parties more favourable treatment than others. |
| “I am specifically asking that you urgently review your decision to bar our party from the BBC Wales election candidates’ debate, due to take place tomorrow [Sunday] morning. For your BBC Wales team to exclude Change UK in particular … is deeply unfair and will limit debate rather than allow it.” | “I am specifically asking that you urgently review your decision to bar our party from the BBC Wales election candidates’ debate, due to take place tomorrow [Sunday] morning. For your BBC Wales team to exclude Change UK in particular … is deeply unfair and will limit debate rather than allow it.” |
| On Friday evening, the BBC One comedy quiz show tweeted: | On Friday evening, the BBC One comedy quiz show tweeted: |
| Sorry everyone. The BBC have pulled tonight’s edition of #HIGNFY - no, we didn’t book Danny Baker. We booked Heidi Allen, a member of a party no-one knows the name of (not even the people in it), because the Euro elections, which nobody wants, may or may not be happening.Sorry. | Sorry everyone. The BBC have pulled tonight’s edition of #HIGNFY - no, we didn’t book Danny Baker. We booked Heidi Allen, a member of a party no-one knows the name of (not even the people in it), because the Euro elections, which nobody wants, may or may not be happening.Sorry. |
| The BBC referred to its editorial guidelines and said it would look to broadcast the episode at a later date. “It would be inappropriate to feature political party leaders on entertainment programmes during this short election period, which does not allow for equal representation to be achieved.” | The BBC referred to its editorial guidelines and said it would look to broadcast the episode at a later date. “It would be inappropriate to feature political party leaders on entertainment programmes during this short election period, which does not allow for equal representation to be achieved.” |
| It came after Farage, leader of the Brexit partymade his 33rd appearance as a panellist on BBC1’s Question Time on Thursday. Allen, the MP for South Cambridgeshire, tweeted: “Maybe I’m just not as funny as Nigel Farage eh? He’s so funny, he seems to be on the BBC all the time! | It came after Farage, leader of the Brexit partymade his 33rd appearance as a panellist on BBC1’s Question Time on Thursday. Allen, the MP for South Cambridgeshire, tweeted: “Maybe I’m just not as funny as Nigel Farage eh? He’s so funny, he seems to be on the BBC all the time! |
| “An explanation would be appreciated, not least to acknowledge the hard work of the entire crew who worked diligently to put the show together.” | “An explanation would be appreciated, not least to acknowledge the hard work of the entire crew who worked diligently to put the show together.” |
| Change UK – The Independent Group | Change UK – The Independent Group |
| BBC | BBC |
| Chris Leslie | Chris Leslie |
| Have I Got News for You | Have I Got News for You |
| Nigel Farage | Nigel Farage |
| Heidi Allen | |
| news | news |
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