Demand for details of SNP meeting with BBC chief

Published on Sunday 7 March 2010 21:58

LABOUR has demanded that the SNP reveal the details of a "secret meeting" between one of its ministers and the controller of BBC Scotland.

The call comes less than a week after the broadcasting watchdog Ofcom confirmed it was investigating correspondence between the SNP and STV.

Documents published at the weekend show that in the run-up to a scheduled meeting between the then culture minister and BBC Scotland executives in March last year, Mike Russell requested his officials arrange a private meeting between himself and the controller of BBC Scotland.

Lindsay Roy, Labour MP for Glenrothes, said: "It is normal for ministers to meet broadcasters, but that has to be done in the proper fashion and this crosses the line. We need to know what was discussed at this secret meeting and whether the SNP tried to pressurise the BBC in the same way as other broadcasters."

A BBC Scotland spokesman said: "It is considered normal business for a meeting to take place between BBC Scotland and the minister who is responsible for cultural affairs when there are appropriate issues to discuss.

"Before Mr Russell's appointment, we had meetings with his predecessors in the current and previous administrations."

A spokesman for Mr Russell said that he and BBC Scotland controller Ken MacQuarrie had known each other for 30 years.

The spokesman said: "This story lacks any foundation whatever – it is scraping beneath the bottom the barrel – particularly at a time when the three London-based parties have ganged up with the BBC and the other broadcasters over a period of many months to shut the SNP out of the TV election debates.

"The suggestions are as laughable and ludicrous as they are baseless."