The Spectator's Notes

6 June 2009

Charles Moore's reflections on the week

When you are invited on to programmes like the BBC’s Question Time, the idea is that you express your opinions. So that is what I did when I last appeared on Question Time, on 12 March. In the wake of the Luton Islamists who insulted the British troops parading through the town, I made some unfavourable comments about the attitude of the Muslim Council of Britain to British troops serving in Muslim countries. There is always an hour’s pause between the recording of Question Time and its broadcast, partly intended so that the programme can be checked for libel. (I know this, because I once had to fight, successfully, for the BBC lawyers to keep in some things I had said on the programme about Martin McGuinness.) On this occasion, no one at the BBC raised any legal or other objection to anything I had said, and the broadcast went out. A few days later, the BBC informed me that they had had a solicitor’s letter on behalf of Mohammed Abdul Bari, the secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain. Although the letter exclusively concerned my own words, the BBC would not show it to me. I supplied them with background information relevant to what I had said on air, but this does not seem to have been pursued. The BBC went dead. Then, last Friday, on holiday in Italy, I got a call from the Daily Mail, who told me that the BBC had offered an apology for my remarks to Dr Bari and £30,000. I decided to refuse the Mail’s invitation to comment, because I felt in a legal limbo, and had been told nothing whatever by the BBC. That remains the case as I write, and, when telephoned, the BBC legal advisers refused to provide any further information. But now the whole thing has gone public, so I don’t see why I should be silent. A spokesman for the Corporation says on its website: ‘On occasions, this [the format of Question Time] results in unfairness to individuals who aren’t there to put their view and this is one of those occasions.’ Actually, I mentioned no individuals in what I said, so the only individual concerned whose view the BBC has not sought is me. It has taken upon itself to apologise for a libel which it thinks I committed. Has it thereby libelled me? I promise that if it pays me £30,000, I shall say no more about it.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 Next page

More articles from: Charles Moore | this section

Print this article | Email to a friend | Permalink | Comments (1)

Post this entry to: del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit

Post comment

Fran�ois Portier

June 7th, 2009 7:24pm Report this comment

SIR -- Not so long ago Sir Denis Mahon donated his collection of Italian baroque paintings to the National Gallery stipulating that his executors would remove them if the Gallery introduced admission charges. Such a public-spirited attitude is rare indeed. Mr Moore would deprive Londoners and visitors of the simple, civilised pleasure and education of dropping into the National Gallery, the V&A or so many glorious museums, maybe for a few peaceful minutes just to contemplate one or two favourite works of art. Isn't it the point of museums to make great art accessible to the greatest number? They have a great civilising mission and it is to the great credit of the much maligned Labour government (whatever its many other failings) to have abolished charges.
Do not imagine for a moment that the Government would cease to interfere if there were charges -- charges are never sufficient by themselves to cover the costs of running museums, extra staff and equipment have to be paid for, plus administration costs etc. The only certain result is that the number of visitors would plummet. A quieter time for the happy few? Make no mistake -- obnoxious schoolchildren would still be dragged along the galleries!
Britain is the envy and admiration of less enlightened lands for its policy of free access to its great museums. Even a philistine ruler like Mr Sarkozy has recently waived charges for young people and some teachers. It would be a sad regression indeed if Britain were to go in the opposite direction.

Post comment