Birmingham hospital bosses hit back today over allegations from the BNP that injured troops were forced to pay to watch television
The claim was made by BNP leader Nick Griffin as he attempted to justify his wearing of a poppy against the wishes of the Royal British Legion during a televised debate. He said he would remove the poppy if the Legion put pressure on the Government to stop “charging young British soldiers with no legs in Selly Oak Hospital” to watch TV. But today the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, based at Selly Oak, insisted routine TV charges which applied to the hospital’s civilian patients were not paid by troops.
Spokesman Peter Haslam said the charges were instead met by a patient welfare fund, a registered charity providing such things as Sunday lunches and trips to football matches. Mr Haslam said: “A patient welfare fund at Selly Oak purchases TV cards and military patients are given £10 credit for every three days and additionally they get a pay-as-you-go dongle for their laptop. If a patient uses up money and has to pay out of their own pocket, they are reimbursed.”
Mr Griffin’s comments were made on Channel 4 News on Tuesday. He is tonight due to be a guest on the BBC’s Question Time programme with his invitation condemned by anti-fascist activists who were staging a day-long picket of Television Centre. Michael Morris, the Legion’s county manager, said he was unable to comment on political issues but said: “It’s disappointing that anything like this will be contentious, especially so close to the launch of this year’s Poppy Appeal. Nothing should detract attention from that as it is supporting our troops serving abroad.”
The Birmingham Mail contacted BNP spokesman Simon Darby who said he believed the injured troops did have to pay for television and phone calls in the past. “If the hospital have changed their policy then that is a good thing.” He refused to comment on whether Mr Griffin would continue to wear a poppy. Birmingham’s Poppy Appeal is due to be launched by Lord Mayor Coun Michael Wilkes in Victoria Square tomorrow from 12.30pm.
Birmingham Mail
October 22, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
MORE fucking BNP lies!
I hope the panel on Question Time can question Cyclops about this one of many lies perpetuated by the BNP.
Sadly many of the BNP's lies become urban myth, as they are passed on from the mouths of casual pub racists up and down the country.
No wonder a mythbuster is needed in Lancashire, the hotbed of the BNP.
And the lies continue. . he is publicity seeking toad. I hope (but very much doubt due to bbc attitude and editing)that he gets trashed by the QT panel tonight.
Strange how the fash friendly BBC through their "fair and unbiased" selection panel are stopping anti-racists from being in the audience but yet are allowing leading BNP figures to be there in the audience.
The BBC should b e privatised at the first available opportunity as that way, commercial pressure by advertisers would have stopped the broadcast.
WEST YORKSHIRE POLICE CHIEF DEFENDS ALLOWING THE NEO-NAZI EDL MARCH TO HAPPEN IN LEEDS NEXT WEEKEND: (:
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/opinion/Norman-Bettison-The-police-the.5755747.jp
Most of the 16,000 members on the leaked membership list are leaks to make the BNP seem far larger than it is.
Gri££in must have most surely leaked this particular fake membership list.
They don't have 16,000 members, lol
Post a Comment