Pro-indy blogger slams BBC after YouTube channel shut down

A pro-independence blogger has delivered a scathing attack at the BBC after his YouTube channel was shut down in a copyright row.

Stuart Campbell runs the Wings over Scotland channel

The public broadcaster complained about 13 videos uploaded to indy website Wings Over Scotland, with the channel subsequently closed.

Stuart Campbell, who runs Wings Over Scotland, has claimed his channel was shut without warning.

Peter Curran also separately had his pro-independence channel closed following BBC copyright complaints.

Mr Campbell has claimed the videos should not have been removed.

He said the BBC had not taken similar action with other political sites that used its material.

YouTube’s policy dictates those who receive three copyright strikes have their channel shut down.

Mr Campbell said in his blog: “This entire affair quite frankly stinks to high heaven.

“The BBC have operated a plainly partisan policy, observably applying different rules and procedures to people with different political viewpoints.”

Mr Campbell claimed Scottish Labour councillor Scott Arthur was allowed to keep his channel after marking contested BBC videos as “private”.

The blogger pointed out that political channels hosted by the Liberal Democrats, the Scottish Conservatives and UKIP also publicly ran BBC content.

The BBC has reportedly denied being selective in its actions to protect copyright.

The broadcaster has said it takes action to protect its copyright “whenever we receive complaints about large volumes of our material being posted or used without authorisation”.

A statement said: “This action is normally limited to asking for individual videos to be removed and the BBC did not ask or demand for these whole channels to be taken down.

“That was a decision for YouTube alone.

“We act irrespective of the political views of the infringing YouTube channels and have taken action against the use of our material by individuals or organisations from across the political spectrum.

“There is a standard process in place if these channels wish to challenge the take down orders and we will consider any representations carefully.”

Mr Campbell said: “We’re going to take this one as far as it’ll go, folks.”