En EspañolBNP may appear on Question Time
A debate has begun in the UK this week after the BBC confirmed it was considering inviting the British National Party onto its well-known Question Time political question and answer panel.
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A spokesman for the BBC said that the programme must be bound by the rules governing due impartiality towards political parties.
The BNP – led by Nick Griffin – presented several candidates in June’s European elections and, despite being accused by the main political parties and mainstream media of far-right, racist attitudes towards immigrants in the UK, won several seats.
The BBC believes that an elected party’s attitudes towards specific issues shouldn’t prohibit it from participating in its flagship panel show in which panelists respond to political questions from the audience.
The BBC’s chief political adviser has said the BNP had now: “demonstrated evidence of electoral support at a national level,” adding that: “The BBC is obliged to treat all political parties registered with the Electoral Commission and operating within the law with due impartiality.”
Other British political parties are reviewing their positions towards appearing alongside members of the BNP on the programme and are expected to issue statements this week.
The BBC is said to be in talks with representatives of the main parties in order to reach an agreement on their appearance.
Some media commentators suspect that the BNP could use their appearance on Question Time and coverage of the scandal surrounding the proposal to further interests which some have accused them of containing hatred and lies, accusations which the BNP could perhaps equally respond to in a similar way.
I think the BBC should allow elected BNP members onto the show, alongside representatives of the other parties if they’re willing to appear, and encourage debate over these important issues.
Let the audience and television viewers make up their own minds over the extremism of the ideas put forward.
Screenshot of the BBC website.
El vocabulario de esta semana
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Nouns:
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- spokesman – portavoz
- panel – panel
- impartiality – imparcialidad
- audience – público
- programme – programa
Noun phrases:
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- question and answer panel – panel de preguntas y respuestas
- due impartiality – debida imparcialidad
- mainstream media – medios principales
- flagship panel show – programa de preguntas y respuestas estrella
- media commentator – comentarista mediático
- television viewer – espectador de televisión
- political party – partido político
- electoral commission – comisión electoral
Verbs:
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- to govern – gobernar, regir
- to accuse – acusar
- to prohibit – prohibir
- to treat – tratar
- to participate – participar
Verb Phrases:
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- to be bound by the rules – obligarse por las normas
- to demonstrate evidence of support – demostrar pruebas de apoyo
- to be in talks with – estar hablando con
- to further your interests – promover los intereses
- to reach an agreement – llegar a un acuerdo
- to make up your own mind – decidirte
- to put forward an idea – proponer una idea
- to review your position – revisar tu postura
Adjectives:
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- flagship – principal, estrella
- far-right – de extrema derecha
- racist – racista
- specific – específico
- mainstream – principal, de masas
Las frases de esta semana
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- A debate has begun in the UK this week after the BBC confirmed it was considering inviting the British National Party onto its well-known Question Time political question and answer panel.
- A spokesman for the BBC said that the programme must be bound by the rules governing due impartiality towards political parties.
- The BNP – led by Nick Griffin – presented several candidates in June’s European elections and, despite being accused by the main political parties and mainstream media of far-right, racist attitudes towards immigrants in the UK, won several seats.
- The BBC is obliged to treat all political parties registered with the Electoral Commission and operating within the law with due impartiality.
- Let the audience and television viewers make up their own minds over the extremism of the ideas put forward.
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