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| Abu Hamza, the Queen and the BBC | Abu Hamza, the Queen and the BBC |
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| With his abject apology for reporting the truth to the nation about the Queen's remarks to the home secretary about Abu Hamza, George Entwistle has failed his first test as BBC director general (Report, 26 September). If the BBC is worth having at all, it must act primarily in the public interest. That means it must override the personal feelings of an octogenarian monarch who, like her eldest son, indulges in a non-constitutional relationship with elected politicians (Government fights release of royal veto rules, 26 September). | With his abject apology for reporting the truth to the nation about the Queen's remarks to the home secretary about Abu Hamza, George Entwistle has failed his first test as BBC director general (Report, 26 September). If the BBC is worth having at all, it must act primarily in the public interest. That means it must override the personal feelings of an octogenarian monarch who, like her eldest son, indulges in a non-constitutional relationship with elected politicians (Government fights release of royal veto rules, 26 September). |
| The BBC must now end its subservient and pro-monarchy role and adopt the neutral stance its charter requires in all its conduct. As for the royals, they must either stop making political remarks or resign their office and become a low-cost bicycling monarchy with a purely symbolic role and no power of patronage. They cannot have it both ways. Bruce Whitehead Edinburgh | The BBC must now end its subservient and pro-monarchy role and adopt the neutral stance its charter requires in all its conduct. As for the royals, they must either stop making political remarks or resign their office and become a low-cost bicycling monarchy with a purely symbolic role and no power of patronage. They cannot have it both ways. Bruce Whitehead Edinburgh |
| • It is intolerable that BBC managers felt the need to apologise for Frank Gardner's report on the Queen's views and actions. He is a journalist, whose salary is paid by all of us through the licence fee, and was attending the event by virtue of his position with the BBC. | • It is intolerable that BBC managers felt the need to apologise for Frank Gardner's report on the Queen's views and actions. He is a journalist, whose salary is paid by all of us through the licence fee, and was attending the event by virtue of his position with the BBC. |
| Of course, he was fully entitled to let us all know the monarch's views. "It was a private dinner" is claimed as the reason for rebuking Gardner, but the definition of "private" needs to be examined in relation to the head of state, and it surely cannot be extended to cover situations where journalists are in conversation with the Queen in their professional capacity. Bob Judges Leintwardine, Herefordshire | Of course, he was fully entitled to let us all know the monarch's views. "It was a private dinner" is claimed as the reason for rebuking Gardner, but the definition of "private" needs to be examined in relation to the head of state, and it surely cannot be extended to cover situations where journalists are in conversation with the Queen in their professional capacity. Bob Judges Leintwardine, Herefordshire |
| • By the BBC disclosing that the Queen had concerns over the conduct of Abu Hamza and the impotence of the police and criminal justice system to arrest him and bring charges, it is only iterating what a great many "ordinary" people are thinking but are unable or too afraid to speak out, and who are aggrieved that we are forced to accept unacceptable behaviour. The republican pressure group Republic has said that the monarch has needlessly "waded into this debate" and that "it is up to parliament and the courts to deal with these complex issues, not the Queen". | • By the BBC disclosing that the Queen had concerns over the conduct of Abu Hamza and the impotence of the police and criminal justice system to arrest him and bring charges, it is only iterating what a great many "ordinary" people are thinking but are unable or too afraid to speak out, and who are aggrieved that we are forced to accept unacceptable behaviour. The republican pressure group Republic has said that the monarch has needlessly "waded into this debate" and that "it is up to parliament and the courts to deal with these complex issues, not the Queen". |
| However, there is a precedent. In medieval times, before the primacy of parliament, there was an unwritten but definite compact between the monarch and the common man, in order that the people had some redress against the wrongdoings of "the over-mighty subject" and when recourse to legal process was impossible or failing. | However, there is a precedent. In medieval times, before the primacy of parliament, there was an unwritten but definite compact between the monarch and the common man, in order that the people had some redress against the wrongdoings of "the over-mighty subject" and when recourse to legal process was impossible or failing. |
| Inadvertently, is this not the case in this instance, where there has been a flagrant disregard of the rule of law and with no apparent or ready remedy? Bryan Jones Redruth, Cornwall | Inadvertently, is this not the case in this instance, where there has been a flagrant disregard of the rule of law and with no apparent or ready remedy? Bryan Jones Redruth, Cornwall |
| • Frank Gardner's slip reminds us that we know virtually nothing about the influence of the Queen over the last 60 years. Biographies are written with none of the primary sources normally regarded as essential. During the jubilee, assorted "experts", including academics who should have known better, cheerfully spouted about her strict observance of her proper constitutional role without the slightest evidence to support their claims. Martin Pugh Slaley, Northumberland | • Frank Gardner's slip reminds us that we know virtually nothing about the influence of the Queen over the last 60 years. Biographies are written with none of the primary sources normally regarded as essential. During the jubilee, assorted "experts", including academics who should have known better, cheerfully spouted about her strict observance of her proper constitutional role without the slightest evidence to support their claims. Martin Pugh Slaley, Northumberland |
| • Your article (Abu Hamza to be extradited to US, 25 September) misframed the significance of the European court of human rights' rejection of the appeals of the five detainees in question. The Home Office statement quoted in the article bundles the four others into a statement under cover of the notorious Muslim bogeyman Abu Hamza. | • Your article (Abu Hamza to be extradited to US, 25 September) misframed the significance of the European court of human rights' rejection of the appeals of the five detainees in question. The Home Office statement quoted in the article bundles the four others into a statement under cover of the notorious Muslim bogeyman Abu Hamza. |
| This does no justice to the fact that Asperger's-diagnosed poet Talha Ahsan and IT specialist Babar Ahmad from Tooting have been detained without charge for six and eight years respectively. The UK is more than capable of trying these men at home, where they were born and paid their taxes. The public is being misled by the image of Hamza, who has been proven to be a foul-mouthed tool of many agendas. | This does no justice to the fact that Asperger's-diagnosed poet Talha Ahsan and IT specialist Babar Ahmad from Tooting have been detained without charge for six and eight years respectively. The UK is more than capable of trying these men at home, where they were born and paid their taxes. The public is being misled by the image of Hamza, who has been proven to be a foul-mouthed tool of many agendas. |
| I along with many others support the private prosecution initiated by Karl Watkin and believe there is sufficient public interest to bring these young men to trial without sending them away to the US. Dr Fuad Ali London | I along with many others support the private prosecution initiated by Karl Watkin and believe there is sufficient public interest to bring these young men to trial without sending them away to the US. Dr Fuad Ali London |
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