In this post yesterday, I raised the possibility that a number of satellite TV channels serving the Bangladeshi community in Tower Hamlets were breaching the Representation of the People Act with potentially unbalanced reporting of the mayoral election.
Cllr Peter Golds, Tower Hamlets’ Tory group leader, has now made an official complaint to broadcasting regulator Ofcom. He is demanding an urgent investigation because he believes the outcome of the election could be affected.
Here’s his letter:
October 8 2010
Ed Richards
Chief Executive
Ofcom
2a Southwark Bridge Road
London
SE1 9HA
Dear Mr Richards
Re: Electoral concerns regarding BanglaTV and Channel S
On October 21st voters in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets will be electing an executive Mayor. This is a high profile position that has created considerable excitement within the Bangladeshi community who make up some 33.4% of the population according to estimates published in our borough guide.
The Labour party selection process was somewhat controversial and as a result there is an official Labour candidate, Cllr Helal Abbas and an Independent candidate, Cllr Lutfur Rahman, who had been selected as Labour candidate but was deselected by the national executive of the party.
Bangla TV and Channel S are extremely important to Bangladeshi residents and their penetration to this community is extremely high.
Both are expending considerable time on the election and regularly schedule programmes which are, long, unbalanced and are extremely partial.
On Friday 1 October I represented the Conservative candidate at a hustings programme. It started “around” 7.30pm and continued until almost 10pm. Questions came from a presenter, telephone lines and a small audience of about ten people (all but two male) who represented “the community”. I gather parties had been invited to bring two people along, but I was not informed of this. There are five candidates in the election but there was no sign of the Green party and no reference to their candidate.
The Independent and Liberal Democrat candidates were present and local councillors represented the Labour and Conservative candidates.
The first forty five minutes of the interview was taken up with comments about the Labour party selection process. Questions were then invited and there were repeated attacks on the Labour candidate from telephone calls and the “community” concerning a business closure in 1992. Policy discussion kept returning to this.
In a break I commented that this contravened the 1983 Representation of the Peoples Act and Ofcom regulation, but this unbalanced process continued.
On Saturday Channel S covered the launch of the Labour candidate. I attach coverage from the blog of a local journalist who included a six minute extract from this coverage. The Conservative, Green and Liberal Democrat candidates are ignored and there are again unfounded and malicious allegations against the Labour candidate.
These stations are extremely influential. They are the main conduit of information for a substantial proportion of the electorate, yet their coverage is unfair, unbalanced and biased. None of the regular channels would dare produce such programmes.
My concern is that this unbalanced coverage will influence the election and I am requesting that urgent action be taken to prevent this.
Yours sincerely
Councillor Peter Golds
Trial by Jeory 
Problem with this latest act of desparation from Golds is that curtailing or setting more stringent demands on Bengali press coverage now would be rightly perceived as an attack on the Bangladeshi community in East London. So it will be utterly counterproductive. Though it’s nice to have a stick to hit ’em with, isn’t it?
@ Friendly Lefty
Are you saying that Ofcom shouldn’t investigate for fear of upsetting the “Bangladeshi community”?
Surely, each individual member of the Bangladeshi community has a democratic right to expect that they are provided balanced and unbiased information when making the decision on who to vote for in the forthcoming election.
This Friendly Leftie should read the article before he makes racist comments.
I think the point of the letter is that not only are they exclusively and racistly presenting the views of Bangla candidates only, but they are unbalanced even in that.
One of these channels got fined £25,000 a year or so ago and they still don’t seem to be concerned.
Taking into account the fact that Lutfur’s selection celebration party in the Troxy must have cost at least £10,000, you do sometimes wonder where the money comes from in this business.
I think it’s time the rule of law prevailed in our “community as a whole”.
As far as I’m concerned, once this election business is over, that’s when the real shit will hit the fan, and I’ll be the one who’s chucking it.
I think it’s criminal Murdoch has his hands all over the press. How about that?
Dan, It is really political prostitutes like you that let the Labour party down. First its John Biggs and only 3 weeks ago you were trying to be Lutfur’s buddy and posing in photos with him. Now you are Abbass’s bitch. I would not be surprised if you are all over Lutfur again when he wins. Just a gold digger, I doubt any politician would want to be around you.
Dan, I think you will be the first to get done for political prostitution!
In regards to Peter Golds letter to OFCOM, why does he not just join the Labour Party. For a Tory, he seems to be unusually concerned about Helal Abbas [OFFENSIVE PERSONAL COMMENT REMOVED], If Abbas is not able to defend himself then how will he be able to defend the people of this borough?
It will be interesting to see what the Tory party Chair has to say about Cllr. Peter Golds unusual hand of support for Abbas.
It reads to me that Councillor Golds is concerned about the lack of coverage of the Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Green candidates as well, while we seem to have nothing but the Labour Party fighting on the local television stations’ political coverage.
‘As far as I’m concerned, once this election business is over, that’s when the real shit will hit the fan, and I’ll be the one who’s chucking it.’
Ah, but you don’t chuck it when you believe it is advantageous for your side that the state of affairs continues, do you? Now there’s a candidate who can beat the useless Labour candidate and you’re fretting proper. Now it’s all about corruption, and everything’s so unfair, and Labour are really hard done to, etc etc. Pathetic. Fix up and fight the campaign like you should – on the policies.
I wholeheartedly agree with friendly lefty’s comments and sentiments. Dan take note.
Ah you’re the guy with the wedding controvasy.
Is this the same Dan McCurry? (From Dave Hill’s blog):
danmccurry
19 September 2010 11:21PM
Here’s Lutfur’s victory party the other night at the Troxy on my facebook page.
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/album.php?aid=227650&id=636211970&page=2
Isn’t it just a little hypocritical to splash about your part in the (£10,000 ‘I was there’ guesstimate) Troxy celebration – and include comments with your photos – but now say this?
The link to your annotated gallery of photos of supporters enjoying this (£10,000?? you say) celebration (including councillors Bill Turner, David Edgar, Anna Lynch) no longer works. Is this the shit you’re saving to chuck at that fan?
If I was the Green candidate, I would certainly have a complaint about the ChannelS coverage of the TELCO “hustings”! Four of the five candidates were filmed answering the same questions. Where was Alan? No doubt a reflection on his chances, but unfair nevertheless.
Don’t know much about the OFCOM rules but if I were them all I’d have to do is look at the coverage of the election on channel S and Bangla TV to see where their priorities lie.
Everything is about the Labour selection contest. I wonder whose lining their pockets?!?
PS. if anything they should be punished for not starting programmes as scheduled!!!
Yes, Labour corruption is exposed by the Bangla media and now the Labour big machinary is out to get the Bangla media in anyway it can! Truth with never be silenced by corrupt politicians in the Labour party!
What a waste of time – OFCOM should instead be investigating the media’s relaionship with the police after the channel 4 despatches programme last week. A Conservative wouldn’t get in here even if (slimey) Lord Ashcroft spent his entire $1.2bn in the elections.
It’s really pathetic reading Golds letter, how sad and desperate.
Its ok for Gillingham to slate Lutfur and others week in week out, and no one cares to report it but to dictate what others can broadcast and can not… silly really and yes again he is desperate… I would of expecting it coming from the Labour camp NOT the no hope Conservatives..