Advice on BNP broadcasts

BECTU will support members who refuse to work on election broadcasts for the far-right British National Party.

The union has written to major British broadcasters, including BBC, ITV, C4, and S4C, to demand that staff should not be compelled to work on Party Political Broadcasts (PPBs) promoting the British National Party in the run-up to the European and local elections on June 10.

In the letter, broadcasters are warned that BECTU will give full support to members who are instructed to produce PPBs for the controversial party, but decline "as a matter of conscience". The union also points out that although the British National Party may be legally entitled to PPB exposure, the broadcasters are not obliged to offer any airtime beyond this legal minimum.

11 May 2004

To all UK TV and radio broadcasters

RE: Local and European Elections

We have been contacted by members, employed by a number of British Broadcasters who intend broadcasting party political broadcasts on behalf of the BNP. Members have asked us about their rights to refuse to work on such broadcasts and for your information I outline below our policy:

  1. We believe broadcasters should only broadcast BNP material when they are obliged to do so by law.
  2. That broadcasters should in the first instance seek volunteers from amongst their staff to work on such broadcasts.
  3. If broadcasters compel a BECTU member to work on a BNP party political broadcast and the member refuses to as a matter of conscience then they will receive full support from BECTU.

If you wish to contact me about this policy, please do not hesitate to do so.

Yours sincerely

GERRY MORRISSEY
Assistant General Secretary

13 May 2004