ALLEGATIONS OF RACIST STATEMENTS ON CHANNEL FOUR PROGRAMME SHIPWRECKED AND CONDUCT OF ANDY DUNCAN

Early day motion 705, tabled 22 January 2007 by Keith Vaz (Labour). Signed by 19 members.

That this House deplores comments made on the Channel Four programme Shipwrecked praising slavery; regrets that Channel Four did not make it clear to contestants, at the time that the programme was recorded, that such racist language is unacceptable; severely condemns Channel Four for broadcasting such remarks so soon after international concerns regarding racist comments broadcast on their Celebrity Big Brother programme; notes the Channel Four statement following their Board meeting; calls on the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to write to the regulator to request an immediate inquiry rather than the so-called review which would be a way of delaying the apportionment of culpability; demands Channel Four release full transcripts recorded in the Big Brother house including briefings made in the Diary Room; believes that this highlights further gross incompetence on behalf of Channel Four management; and suggests that if found culpable in any way for recent broadcasts of racism that Channel Four Chief Executive Andy Duncan should resign immediately.

Signatures by party: Labour 16, Liberal Democrat 2, Scottish National Party 1.