Nick Griffin's disastrous appearance on Question Time landed taxpayers with a £143,000 security bill for protecting the BNP leader. That's how much police spent dealing with angry protesters outside BBC Television Centre, closing roads and using a helicopter to keep the far-right boss safe.Furious critics have demanded Beeb chiefs cough up the cash out of the £17.5million they pocketed in bonuses last year.
Labour MP Andy Slaughter, whose constituency covers TV Centre at White City, West London, said: "It was a decision by managers to put him on the programme so maybe they should put their money where their mouth is. People will be horrified to find out that so much public money has been spent giving a fascist party their best-ever publicity."
The decision to invite Griffin on to Question Time sparked a furious backlash. Police had to draft in thousands of officers after anti-fascist groups called a demonstration. Diverting cops who should have been fighting crime in other areas cost £109,000 alone. Another £13,000 was spent on overtime pay for extra officers. The helicopter, transport costs, barriers and sign posting road closures added a further £21,000 to the bill.
BBC heads refused to say how much it spent on extra security for Griffin, claiming freedom of information laws didn't apply because staff may be put in danger. But Mr Slaughter branded the notion "ludicrous".
He added: said: "If the police can tell you how much it cost why can't the BBC? They should come clean about how much money they have wasted."
Mr Slaughter had tried to persuade the BBC to film Question Time at another location where Griffin's appearance wouldn't cause as much disruption. And he argued that allowing the racist BNP a platform in such a diverse area of the country was an insult to locals.
Before the show Beeb staff went around removing signs so any protesters who did break in would not be able to find senior managers' offices.
Griffin was humiliated when the audience and fellow panellists exposed and ridiculed his vile views. But he later presented himself as a victim in a bid to win sympathy.
Mirror
18 comments:
The cost of this should be taken from the salaries of those in the BBC who made the decision to have this nazi on TV.
I am not going to pay my licence fee anymore.
And if they take me court I am quite happy to tell the Judge why.
tulip
I raised this issue in my original complaint email to the bbc but it was ignored. The BBC should be disgusted with themselves over this whole sequence of events. Whilst it was enjoyable to watch Griffin stutter, stumble and nearly cry on QT, we could have lived without it and those who made the decision should pay (not us).
The cost of this should be taken from the salaries of those in the BBC who made the decision to have this nazi on TV
Are you joking,the only reason the police had to be there is because of you.If you hadn't tried to stop an elected member of the european union his invited place on the programme there would have been no reason for one police officer. I suppose this won't be posted as it doesn't agree with your distorted opinion of democracy. At least the bnp post all comments.
I agree with Jace.
"At least the bnp post all comments."
Where do you live - Fantasy Island?
"At least the bnp post all comments."
That's complete bollocks and you know it.
So this is in the Mirror. A left wing rag.
"So this is in the Mirror. A left wing rag."
It's also in the Daily Mail, a right-wing rag
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1230183/Protecting-BNP-leader-Nick-Griffin-Question-Time-appearance-cost-taxpayers-143-000.html?
and the Evening Standard, a middle of the road rag
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23773418-the-pound-143000-bill-to-protect-bnp-leader-on-question-time.do?
Happy now?
"At least the bnp post all comments."
What a moron.
"Happy now?"
I bet he isn't. :)
Griffin and his fellow fascists have just cost the Madrid council-tax payers a few pesatas at his week-end riot. What a disgrace.
Gri££in must be getting nervous as his well paid attack dogs from the very gutters of society are on the offensive against the NF on the NWN forum and the VNN forum.
I wonder how this would affect his public image if it came out about the low lifes he uses behind the scenes?
"I bet he isn't. :)"
The BNP have perfected whinging, complaining and 'playing the victim' into an art form. Maybe that's why they attract so many old people. This group tend to love moaning and the BNP indulges them.
"At least the bnp post all comments".
Quite true. The BNP DO POST ALL COMMENTS after all online articles about the far right party in the form of make-believe troll identities.
Each BNP troll logs on with at least a dozen fake identities. That is what these losers spend the day doing, lol.
Wander if this ironically accurate remark about BNP trolling was posted by Lee Barnes or Green Arrow?
"Where do you live - Fantasy Island?"
You've now decided against no platform have you?
'You've now decided against no platform have you?'
Where you lot say something that I find a) entertaining or b) utterly dimwitted, yes.
http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/news/article/1448/HOPE-not-hate-leaflets-help-defeat-BNP
HOPE NOT HATE CAMPAIGN ENSURES THE BNP COME FORTH PLACE IN DONCASTER BY-ELECTION!
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