 | 'The last time I was in prison for a lengthy period, I was a civil prisoner and a parliamentary candidate, so a number of allowances were made under the Representation of the People Act," he said. "But this time I'm an ordinary criminal in the eyes of the prison service, so there will be no special arrangements.' Tommy Sheridan MSP, 16 th December 2000 |  |
After all ITV regions broadcast Ask the Prime Minister last Tuesday, the independent television watchdog, the ITC, issued a direction to Scottish Television warning them that, due to the closeness of the by-election, the live studio forum with Tony Blair had breached its rules on impartiality.
Although Scottish Television, owned by SMG - which also owns the Sunday Herald - consulted the ITC prior to the transmission of Ask the Prime Minister, and had sought its own legal advice on the requirements of the Representation of the People's Act, a subsequent ruling by the ITC's senior commission left the station with no option but to put together a primetime programme featuring opposition leaders.
In a further clarification to Scottish Television, the ITC effectively ordered it to exclude the Labour party because Ask the Prime Minister had already given them their say.
It had been rumoured the Labour party would legally challenge their exclusion. But last night, after discussions in Scotland and in Downing Street, Scotland Office minister Brian Wilson said: "We think the whole thing is ridiculous and is an imposition on viewers. However, we're not going to put ourselves in a position of seeking to prevent it from happening."
The SNP, which challenged Scottish Television over the Blair broadcast, said its leader John Swinney would take part, but that the solution was inadequate in the longer term, and that it would continue to press for fair coverage in the run-up to the general election.
The political programme will be pre-recorded in Glasgow tomorrow afternoon and broadcast at 8pm the same night.
Viewers in Scotland will also have the choice between EastEnders on BBC1, University Challenge and Groundforce on BBC2, a documentary on the London toy store Hamleys on Channel 4. Top-rated Who Wants To Be A Millionaire will be broadcast on other ITV regions while the opposition politicians battle it out.
A studio audience of 30 will listen to Swinney, Scottish Tory leader David McLetchie and LibDem deputy leader Ross Finnie , but not Tommy Sheridan from the Scottish Socialist Party. Sheridan, convener of the Scottish Socialists, is expected to be in jail during the broadcast. He refused to pay a fine for breach of the peace during an anti-nuclear weapons protest. His place will be taken by Alan McCombes, editor of the party newspaper.
Sheridan could have tried to make both legal and TV history if he had been allowed to broadcast via a link from Greenock prison. But yesterday he said it was "a non-starter" to apply to the prison authorities for special dispensation. "The last time I was in prison for a lengthy period, I was a civil prisoner and a parliamentary candidate, so a number of allowances were made under the Representation of the People Act," he said. "But this time I'm an ordinary criminal in the eyes of the prison service, so there will be no special arrangements."
Sheridan is due to hand himself in today at Dumbarton police station to serve a week for non-payment of a £250 fine imposed on him for breach of the peace and obstructing a road as part of a protest outside Faslane nuclear submarine base last February. He expects to be released from jail on Friday.
- Dec 17
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