Change UK writes to BBC asking why it pulled Have I Got News For You

Change UK have written to the BBC after an episode of Have I Got News For You was cancelled.

The panel show was due to feature its interim leader Heidi Allen, but wasn’t shown as we are in the campaign stages for the European elections.

Party campaign co-ordinator Chris Leslie called for a ‘full explanation of the BBC’s last-minute decision to pull (Friday’s) episode of Have I Got News For You’.

The letter to BBC director general Lord Hall also called on the BBC to ‘review your decision to bar our party’ from the BBC Wales election candidates’ debate, to be broadcast today.

Change UK said it was concerned about the fairness of coverage.

The BBC referred to its editorial guidelines following the announcement that the episode of the panel show, with Ian Hislop and Paul Merton, would be broadcast at a later date.

It came after Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage had been a panellist on BBC Question Time on Thursday.

Announcing the letter, Mr Leslie said: ‘The BBC has a crucial role as our national broadcaster, but we’re worried that over the past week, it’s got a couple of big calls wrong.

‘This is particularly concerning given that similar decision about Nigel Farage’s appearances over the years appear to have gone the other way.

‘Today, we’re asking the BBC to look again and make sure it’s not doing British voters a disservice by giving some parties more favourable treatment than others.’

The letter claims: ‘Although Heidi is not a candidate in the European elections, I do hope that the BBC will allow her voice to be heard and those of other Change UK candidates and representatives – and not continue to favour Mr Nigel Farage in your coverage, who is not only a party leader but a candidate himself.’

Sorry everyone. The BBC have pulled tonight’s edition of #HIGNFY – no, we didn’t book Danny Baker. We booked Heidi Allen, a member of a party no-one knows the name of (not even the people in it), because the Euro elections, which nobody wants, may or may not be happening.
Sorry.

— Have I Got News For You (@haveigotnews) May 10, 2019

In a tweet on Friday, Have I Got News For You’s official account said: ‘Sorry everyone. The BBC have pulled tonight’s edition of £HIGNFY – no, we didn’t book Danny Baker.

‘We booked Heidi Allen, a member of a party no-one knows the name of (not even the people in it), because the Euro elections, which nobody wants, may or may not be happening.

‘Sorry.’

Scheduled for 9pm on BBC One, the show was replaced with Would I Lie to You?, which should have aired afterwards.

A BBC statement said: ‘The BBC has specific editorial guidelines that apply during election periods.
“Because of this it would be inappropriate to feature political party leaders on entertainment programmes during this short election period, which does not allow for equal representation to be achieved.

‘So we will not broadcast the scheduled episode of HIGNFY featuring Heidi Allen, leader of Change UK. We will look to broadcast this episode at a later date.’