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The
Perfidy and Contempt of the BBC
In November last
year, following complaints of unacceptable Muslim bias and the deliberate
marginalization of Christianity by its Muslim Head of Religion and Ethics, Aaqil
Ahmed, the BBC announced that it was axing both the role of Head and the
department of religion, bringing all religious programming and coverage under
the remit of former Labour MP James Purnell, the head of radio and
education.
However, on February 25, the BBC quietly announced that it
had appointed another Muslim, Fatima Salaria, as its new Head of Religious
Programming.
It would seem therefore that, in clear disregard of their
earlier statement, the BBC has not only resurrected this role, but appears to be
operating a policy of Islamic prioritization, once again ignoring the pleas of
all other religious groups in the UK for proportionate and fair
representation.
Ms Salaria’s most notable achievement since joining the
BBC in 2015 would appear to have been to commission the TV reality show
Muslims like Us, described in the press as ‘Muslim Big Brother’. It
may be remembered that in this programme, among the ten Muslim housemates -
chosen to reflect the diverse views of Muslims in the UK - was included Abdul
Haqq, a Muslim convert, former boxing champion, convicted fraudster … and
member of the inner circle of jailed radical cleric Anjem Choudary. But
it gets worse, because Mr Haqq reportedly not only supported banned terror group
Al-Muhajiroun, but was arrested in 2014 in Dover, and later charged with
plotting to go to Syria to fight with Islamic State after spreading terrorist
material online.
His inclusion, put forward without comment as merely
one view among many, can only have served to ‘normalise’ extremism, and is an
affront to all - including moderate Muslims honestly striving to integrate into
British culture.
Do we really want someone who commissions programmes
like this as head of religion for the BBC? Do we trust her to give
proportionate and fair representation to all religious groups? Do we trust the
BBC? Or do we share the view of Professor Anthony Glees of the Centre for
Security and Intelligence Studies, who told The Mail: “If a BBC executive makes
a programme that is notorious and then the BBC promotes them, it tells me that
the BBC has in that area lost its moral compass.” (http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/02/25/new-bbc-head-religion-gave-islamist-extremists-platform/).
Ms
Salaria is on record as saying the BBC needs to give greater voice to Muslims.
It is a view that seems to have been swallowed hook, line, and sinker by
dementedly ‘diverse’ Auntie, who seemingly takes every opportunity to undermine
and pour derision on those who espouse the traditional Christian beliefs and
values upon which our nation is founded. But exactly what voice does Ms
Salaria class as authentically ‘Muslim’ and wish to be heard? After all, from
the example of Abdul Haqq, she appears to have no problem supporting what the
rest of us call extremism,
It goes without saying that there is
religious diversity in this country, and all faiths should receive proportionate
coverage. But Christianity remains the established faith of the UK and,
despite declining church attendance, according to the 2011 census Christians
still make up 59.5% of the population (https://faithsurvey.co.uk/uk-christianity.html): a clear
majority. Given therefore that Christianity is the main faith of this country,
surely the head of religious programming should be Christian - or at the very
least, as advocated by Conservative MP Bill Cash, the post should be rotated
between the different faiths. Which should include Judaism, Hinduism and
Sikkhism … as well as Islam.
As it is, this new appointment seems
deliberately insulting both to Christians and to followers of other belief
systems, and part of an orchestrated attempt to Islamise the UK. Such an
attitude displays not just contempt, but is a betrayal of the principles and
values on which the UK is founded. For these reasons VfJUK joins those who
argue that the BBC is no longer fit for purpose. We call for urgent
investigation into the Corporation’s governance and purpose, and for review of
the licence fee.
Please
sign our new petition to the Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP, Secretary of State for
Culture, Media and Sport, calling for urgent investigation into the BBC's
governance and leadership.
Sign here: http://www.citizengo.org/en/signit/41632/view
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