Early Day Motion regarding BBC transmissions
MP Austin Mitchell, the representative for Grimsby, has introduced the following Early Day Motion in the House of Commons. An Early Day Motion is a motion that's unlikely to be debated in the Commons, but it offers backbenchers an opportunity to display their opinions on given matters and provides grist for the publicity mill. Mr. Mitchell is a Labour member, but already as of 26 June, a Conservative member of the House of Commons, Michael Fabricant, has already signed on. The World Service has always enjoyed high levels of support across the political spectrum in Parliament.
If you live in the UK, please contact your local MP and ask them to sign on to Early Day Motion 26 regarding the BBC World Service transmissions to North America and Australasia as soon as possible.
BBC World Service Transmissions to North America And Australasia
Early Day Motion 26 of Session 01/02, tabled 22.06.2001
Mr Austin Mitchell
That this House is strongly concerned that well over a million devoted listeners to BBC World Service will be abandoned on 1st July by the BBC's ill considered proposal to drop its short wave service to North America and the Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand; urges the BBC urgently to reconsider its decision and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to persuade it to do so, so as to maintain services to these crucial areas and keep Britain's voice speaking loud and clear to the devoted elite audience reached by short wave transmissions who want and need a news and current affairs service which is of great value not only to them but to Britain's reputation and standing overseas; notes that the service cannot be adequately replaced by the BBC website's very limited capacity; and urges that full consideration be given by the BBC and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the compelling arguments against the decision developed on the website www.savebbc.org, which effectively demolishes the BBC's entire case for the penny pinching folly of abandoning a devoted audience with a real interest in Britain.
Status OPEN
(See this motion on the official Early Day Motion web site, along with the list of MPs who have signed on.)
See also: Early Day Motions - Background.
