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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Margaret Thatcher art posters banned from Tube | Margaret Thatcher art posters banned from Tube |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Posters of Margaret Thatcher due to be shown at Westminster Tube station have been banned by advertising bosses. | Posters of Margaret Thatcher due to be shown at Westminster Tube station have been banned by advertising bosses. |
| Six portraits of the former prime minister - including a depiction of her as Queen Victoria - were due to run from this week. | Six portraits of the former prime minister - including a depiction of her as Queen Victoria - were due to run from this week. |
| CBS Outdoor, which sells advertising space across the London Underground, said running them would break Transport for London (TfL) guidelines. | CBS Outdoor, which sells advertising space across the London Underground, said running them would break Transport for London (TfL) guidelines. |
| Ben Moore, from Art Below, said he hoped the decision would be overturned. | Ben Moore, from Art Below, said he hoped the decision would be overturned. |
| The portraits initially ran in an exhibition at Gallery Different in central London, which opened last Wednesday, the day of Baroness Thatcher's funeral. | The portraits initially ran in an exhibition at Gallery Different in central London, which opened last Wednesday, the day of Baroness Thatcher's funeral. |
| They included a pastiche of Peter Paul Rubens' The Assumption of the Virgin Mary with Baroness Thatcher's face replacing Mary's. | |
| They were due to be placed on advertising boards at the station nearest the House of Commons after the Tube closed on Monday. | They were due to be placed on advertising boards at the station nearest the House of Commons after the Tube closed on Monday. |
| But a spokeswoman for CBS Outdoor said the artwork contravened advertising policies. | But a spokeswoman for CBS Outdoor said the artwork contravened advertising policies. |
| She said: "If an advert has messages or images that relate to public controversy or sensitivity it will not be run." | She said: "If an advert has messages or images that relate to public controversy or sensitivity it will not be run." |
| She said the advert had not been referred to the independent regulator, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). | She said the advert had not been referred to the independent regulator, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). |
| Under its Copy Approval policy, CBS Outdoor says it reserves the right to refuse a poster design without providing specific reasons. | Under its Copy Approval policy, CBS Outdoor says it reserves the right to refuse a poster design without providing specific reasons. |
| It says: "CBS Outdoor will endeavour to refer to the guidelines laid down by our franchise partners who include London Underground, London Buses and all of our other bus, rail and tram franchises." | It says: "CBS Outdoor will endeavour to refer to the guidelines laid down by our franchise partners who include London Underground, London Buses and all of our other bus, rail and tram franchises." |
| A statement from TfL said: "Our advertising contractor took the view that it could have been considered insensitive to have displayed the posters at the time of Baroness Thatcher's funeral. | A statement from TfL said: "Our advertising contractor took the view that it could have been considered insensitive to have displayed the posters at the time of Baroness Thatcher's funeral. |
| "As her funeral has passed, they will be happy to consider them again." | "As her funeral has passed, they will be happy to consider them again." |
| 'Refreshing alternative' | 'Refreshing alternative' |
| Mr Moore, of art organisation Art Below, said it had not been his intention for the posters to run last week. | |
| He said: "I remain hopeful that these images will eventually conform to the guidelines, or the guidelines will evolve to reflect a more democratic state." | |
| He added he wanted people at Westminster Station to enjoy a "refreshing alternative of the Thatcher icon". | He added he wanted people at Westminster Station to enjoy a "refreshing alternative of the Thatcher icon". |
| The posters are among a number of art pieces regularly placed on advertising boards on the underground by Art Below. | The posters are among a number of art pieces regularly placed on advertising boards on the underground by Art Below. |
| Last month, the High Court ruled TfL was right to ban an advert suggesting gay people could be helped to change their sexuality. | Last month, the High Court ruled TfL was right to ban an advert suggesting gay people could be helped to change their sexuality. |
| It was due to run on London buses as a response to an advertising campaign by gay rights group Stonewall. | It was due to run on London buses as a response to an advertising campaign by gay rights group Stonewall. |
| TfL successfully argued it breached its advertising policy by containing a controversial message "likely to cause widespread offence to the public". | TfL successfully argued it breached its advertising policy by containing a controversial message "likely to cause widespread offence to the public". |
| Mrs Justice Lang said although she did not think an appeal would succeed, there were "compelling reasons" to allow one to go ahead. | Mrs Justice Lang said although she did not think an appeal would succeed, there were "compelling reasons" to allow one to go ahead. |
| She said the case "concerns interference with the right to freedom of expression which is a matter of such fundamental importance that it merits consideration by the appellant court". | She said the case "concerns interference with the right to freedom of expression which is a matter of such fundamental importance that it merits consideration by the appellant court". |