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| BBC accused of excluding independent from London mayoral contest coverage | BBC accused of excluding independent from London mayoral contest coverage |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| The independent candidate for mayor of London, Siobhan Benita, has demanded a meeting with BBC executives over the way she feels she is being systematically excluded by the BBC from its coverage of the mayoral contest. | The independent candidate for mayor of London, Siobhan Benita, has demanded a meeting with BBC executives over the way she feels she is being systematically excluded by the BBC from its coverage of the mayoral contest. |
| Benita's aides say the battle about her news blackout has implications not just for the London mayoralty but for mayoral and police commissioner elections to be held in the autumn, in which independents hope to stand against the established political parties. | Benita's aides say the battle about her news blackout has implications not just for the London mayoralty but for mayoral and police commissioner elections to be held in the autumn, in which independents hope to stand against the established political parties. |
| She has also been excluded from the main hustings programmes to be aired by Sky and ITN later this month. | She has also been excluded from the main hustings programmes to be aired by Sky and ITN later this month. |
| Benita said the BBC's electoral guidelines were framed for general elections, not for contests in which independents have the potential to do well. "I feel like I am banging my head against a brick wall of institutions that are adverse to change, slow to adapt and scared to embrace difference," she said. | Benita said the BBC's electoral guidelines were framed for general elections, not for contests in which independents have the potential to do well. "I feel like I am banging my head against a brick wall of institutions that are adverse to change, slow to adapt and scared to embrace difference," she said. |
| BBC Newsnight refused to allow her on to its hustings programme on Wednesday despite an appeal to the presenter, Jeremy Paxman. Newsnight said 1.2 million people watched the debate. Benita, with the BNP and Ukip candidates, was given seconds to put her case in a prerecorded clip before a 45-minute debate between the party candidates, Ken Livingstone, Boris Johnson, Jenny Jones for the Greens and Brian Paddick for the Liberal Democrats. | |
| The BBC maintains that its guidelines only require it to give airtime to candidates from parties with a track record in a previous relevant election, or with clear evidence of support in the polls. London Tonight, the flagship London ITV I programme presented by Alistair Stewart has also decided that only the four candidates Johnson, Livingstone, Paddick and Jones should appear in an hour long programme on 24 April. ITV said they were conforming to the standards of the Ofcom code and would work to ensure other candidates also received a chance to put over their views in other formats. | The BBC maintains that its guidelines only require it to give airtime to candidates from parties with a track record in a previous relevant election, or with clear evidence of support in the polls. London Tonight, the flagship London ITV I programme presented by Alistair Stewart has also decided that only the four candidates Johnson, Livingstone, Paddick and Jones should appear in an hour long programme on 24 April. ITV said they were conforming to the standards of the Ofcom code and would work to ensure other candidates also received a chance to put over their views in other formats. |
| The Ofcom guidelines state: "Due weight must be given to the coverage of major parties during the election period. Broadcasters must also consider giving appropriate coverage to other parties and independent candidates with significant views and perspectives." | The Ofcom guidelines state: "Due weight must be given to the coverage of major parties during the election period. Broadcasters must also consider giving appropriate coverage to other parties and independent candidates with significant views and perspectives." |
| Benita, a former high-ranking civil servant in the Cabinet Office and Department of Health, was only officially accepted as a candidate last Friday, so as yet is unable to demonstrate support in opinion polls, especially since she is not being given any air time. | Benita, a former high-ranking civil servant in the Cabinet Office and Department of Health, was only officially accepted as a candidate last Friday, so as yet is unable to demonstrate support in opinion polls, especially since she is not being given any air time. |
| She has already been excluded from the LBC hustings in which Johnson and Livingstone made accusations over their tax returns. She was subsequently allowed onto the follow-up programme with UKIP and BNP in which much of the discussion was inevitably dominated by immigration, an issue that is not central to her campaign. | She has already been excluded from the LBC hustings in which Johnson and Livingstone made accusations over their tax returns. She was subsequently allowed onto the follow-up programme with UKIP and BNP in which much of the discussion was inevitably dominated by immigration, an issue that is not central to her campaign. |
| She has also been refused access to the BBC Radio London's Mayoral hustings programme. | She has also been refused access to the BBC Radio London's Mayoral hustings programme. |
| In a letter to Ric Bailey the BBC's chief adviser politics, Gisele Green, Benita's press officer argues " I really feel something is seriously wrong with BBC guidelines that mean a serious independent candidate gets just a few seconds of airtime while party political candidates get 45 minutes. | In a letter to Ric Bailey the BBC's chief adviser politics, Gisele Green, Benita's press officer argues " I really feel something is seriously wrong with BBC guidelines that mean a serious independent candidate gets just a few seconds of airtime while party political candidates get 45 minutes. |
| "At a time when the public is becoming increasingly disillusioned with the main parties, why are voters being prevented from hearing about serious alternatives? | "At a time when the public is becoming increasingly disillusioned with the main parties, why are voters being prevented from hearing about serious alternatives? |
| She points out an IPSOS-MORI commissioned by the BBC itself showed "high levels of people being unsure who has the best ideas on issues, showing "that the race is open, with plenty of minds still to be made up." | She points out an IPSOS-MORI commissioned by the BBC itself showed "high levels of people being unsure who has the best ideas on issues, showing "that the race is open, with plenty of minds still to be made up." |
| In one email dated 12 March, Bailey says the BBC's "way of providing election coverage is the result of a long-standing system in the UK – not just the BBC – which has established that it is in the broader interests of the electorate that not all candidates have to be treated identically. You are right, of course, that licence fee payers should be able to have access to all candidates – but with 'due weight'. | In one email dated 12 March, Bailey says the BBC's "way of providing election coverage is the result of a long-standing system in the UK – not just the BBC – which has established that it is in the broader interests of the electorate that not all candidates have to be treated identically. You are right, of course, that licence fee payers should be able to have access to all candidates – but with 'due weight'. |
| "I understand that we may well disagree about the definition of "due" and that it can be frustrating for independent candidates who feel they should be getting more coverage". | "I understand that we may well disagree about the definition of "due" and that it can be frustrating for independent candidates who feel they should be getting more coverage". |
| Sky News is also holding an hour long hustings on 17 April in what the broadcaster is billing as "an enthralling hour of back-and-forth between the three main candidates" in front of an audience of 250 Londoners, followed by another 60 minutes of analysis. | Sky News is also holding an hour long hustings on 17 April in what the broadcaster is billing as "an enthralling hour of back-and-forth between the three main candidates" in front of an audience of 250 Londoners, followed by another 60 minutes of analysis. |
| Sky has determined the three main candidates are Johnson, Livingstone and Paddick. The other candidates will be allowed to comment during the Sky analysis section. | Sky has determined the three main candidates are Johnson, Livingstone and Paddick. The other candidates will be allowed to comment during the Sky analysis section. |
| • This article was amended on Friday, 6 April after it was pointed out that Jenny Jones was not a candidate for the Greens in 2008 |