BBC under fire over appeal

THE BBC last night faced more pressure to broadcast a charity appeal for people in Gaza, as the Archbishop of Canterbury joined the row and more than 50 MPs signed a motion condemning the move.

The BBC said it had received about 11,000 complaints from the public, including 1,000 phone calls, over its refusal to air an appeal by the Disasters Emergency Committee, made up of charities including the British Red Cross and Oxfam. It says doing so could compromise BBC impartiality.

The BBC also questions whether aid can be delivered efficiently in the Gaza Strip, where Palestinians say more than 1,300 people died during Israel’s 22-day offensive.

The decision drew fierce criticism from the government of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, while thousands protested in central London.

The leader of Anglicans worldwide, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, said yesterday: “My feeling is that the BBC should broadcast an appeal.” The second most senior Anglican clergyman, Archbishop of York John Sentamu, has also said the row is not about impartiality, but humanity.

Fifty-one MPs have backed a parliamentary motion saying they are astonished by the move, calling the broadcaster’s explanations “incoherent”.