Scottish Socialist Party
National Office
Press Release: 29/05/04: 22.00

BBC climbdown on SSP broadcast ban leaves STV isolated

Bosses at Scottish Television and Grampian Television were under pressure tonight to lift attempts to ban a Euro election broadcast by Tommy Sheridan’s Scottish Socialist Party after the BBC caved in and dropped similar moves.
The STV and Grampian objections to broadcast centre on the fact that it accuses Premier Tony Blair of lying over the Iraq war and Scottish Television lawyers say that this has to be proved by the SSP.
The award winning actor and director Peter Mullan who made the broadcast slammed the Scottish Television move as “dangerous political censorship”.
Peter Mullan, will travel to Glasgow to attend an SSP Press conference on Sunday 30th May at 5pm to slam the gagging attempt by STV and to show the banned SSP Euro Election Broadcast.
Peter will be joined by Tommy Sheridan and others involved in the broadcast and will defiantly defend the right of the SSP to refer to Tony Blair as a liar in relation to the war on Iraq.
Peter will refer to the move as "dangerous political censorship".
Tommy Sheridan said:
"There is hardly a person in the whole of Scotland who does not believe Tony Blair lied to us in relation to Iraq.
"He said they had nuclear, chemical and biological weapons that could be launched in 45 minutes that posed a threat to British interests.
“None of that was true. Those weapons were not found in a year of searching.
“Tony Blair lied to justify an illegal invasion, that makes him a liar.
“The SSP's broadcast will be shown in full at the press conference.
“If the ITV layers and bosses—who we believe tried to pressure the BBC to agree with them—persist in this act of censorship they will only bring ridicule and scorn on themselves.
“If they think the case that Tony Blair lied to us on Iraq needs further proof then the must be part of one on the tiniest minorities in Scotland today.”
[ends]

Press viewing of banned Scottish Socialist Party broadcast
5pm, Sunday 30th May
'Cuba Norte'
17 John Street
(Italian Centre)
Glasgow

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Editors Notes
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The SSP’s European election broadcast is scheduled to be shown on Tuesday 1st June at varying times.

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The Broadcast they tried to ban: chronology

Friday 28th May 18.20: SSP receives call from STV lawyers saying that they would use the Ofcom Programme Code to prevent the broadcast of the SSP’s European election broadcast.

Friday 20.30: After initially clearing the broadcast, the BBC contact Tommy Sheridan saying that there was now a problem with the accusation that Blair was a liar and that it would have to be cut.

Friday 23:03: Tommy Sheridan receives a fax from Levy & McRae Solicitors acting on behalf of Scottish Television and Grampian Television:
The fax demanded that the SSP “edit/delete the statement” that Tony Blair had “lied through his teeth about Iraq” from the SSP’s European election broadcast.

Saturday 12.00: Legal and broadcasting advisors to the SSP react with incredulity to the demand that the reference to Blair as a liar be removed from the broadcast and advise Tommy Sheridan that the party should refuse to compromise over the claim, citing numerous accusations made in the media over the past years.

Saturday 17.17: The BBC back down, saying that the interpretation of the Ofcom Programme Code had been incorrect and agree that the broadcast will go ahead as scheduled.
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Top 3 Blair lies on Iraq

Tony Blair said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction ready to deploy against the West in 45 minutes.
It wasn’t true and he knew it.
Tony Blair said that two lorry trailers found in Iraq were "proof" of chemical weapons production.
It wasn’t true and he knew it.
Tony Blair said that Luke Allsopp and Simon Cullingworth had been “executed” in an act of cruelty beyond comprehension”.
It wasn’t true and he knew it.
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