First Minister's 'Gauleiter' remark increases tension in SNP/BBC spat
Alex Salmond has been criticised for comparing a BBC staff member who banned him from appearing as a rugby pundit to a Nazi leader.
Mr Salmond had pledged not to discuss politics or independence on the rugby show.
- By David Clegg, political editor
- Published in the Courier : 06.02.12
- Published online : 06.02.12 @ 09.52am
Scottish Labour demanded the First Minister apologise for the ''ugly smear'' which came amid mounting tension between the broadcaster and the SNP.
Mr Salmond had been due to appear on the BBC's coverage of the Six Nations clash between Scotland and England on Saturday afternoon to give his predictions for the game, but the appearance was cancelled at the last minute by BBC political adviser Ric Bailey because of ''heightened tensions'' over the independence referendum.
The SNP leader reacted angrily to the ban, claiming it raised questions about the editorial independence of the broadcaster and how it would cover the referendum.
He also branded Mr Bailey a ''Gauleiter'' — a name given to regional leaders under Hitler which has come to mean an overbearing bureaucrat.
''Ric Bailey — the political Gauleiter we should call him now — intervened to say this shouldn't happen and really he's ... just totally, utterly lost the plot,'' the leader said.
The usage of the term 'Gauleiter' was condemned by Labour's external affairs spokeswoman Patricia Ferguson, who said: ''Alex Salmond's hysteria over not appearing on a rugby show is embarrassing to most Scots. People want the First Minister to get behind the team, not get on television.
''What is totally unacceptable, however, is for the First Minister to accuse journalists of occupying the post of a Nazi district leader. That is an ugly smear.''
Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson said: ''It is a completely inappropriate outburst from a man supposed to be running Scotland and symptomatic of the SNP's attack mode where they try to destroy anyone with whom they disagree.''
But a spokesman for Mr Salmond said he had intended the term in its modern usage as an overbearing bureaucrat. He also pointed out that the First Minister had not complained after being compared to Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugabe in a recent BBC interview with Jeremy Paxman.
A spokesman for the BBC said it had an obligation to be impartial.
10.02am - 06.02.2012 Alexander - Montrose, Angus Report This
A spokesman for the BBC said it had an obligation to be impartial...... is this why the BBC backed Paxman when he compared Scotland to Zimbabwe?
10.04am - 06.02.2012 Mev - Elgin, UK Report This
The BBC is not impartial. It is clearly biased towards England. Take Saturday's rugby match against England when we had to endure listening to an English commentator throughout with a welshman adding comments.
10.19am - 06.02.2012 Woss - Shields, England Report This
Robert Mugabe as opposed to overbearing bureaucrat. No comparison although the English Broadcasting Corporation allow this.
11.48am - 06.02.2012 Callum - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Ian Rankin the well know Scottish author has described the BBC as "Stalinist" for dropping the popular Janice Forsyth show. There is something going horribly wrong at the BBC. It is neither acting in an impartial nor sensible fashion.
12.20pm - 06.02.2012 Hill of Maule - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Is being Donald Trumps lapdog not eough "celebrity" for Mr Salmond that he has to inveigle his way onto Sports Television. Time to be a Prime Minister and stop trying to be the Fairy at the Top of the Tree Mr S.
12.37pm - 06.02.2012 RJ - Fife, Scotland Report This
The BBC have now set their "impartial" rules for the next 2 yrs. So no politician can be invited onto TV or radio chat shows or be involved in sport pundit chat in case it causes "heightened tensions" Shame had great night in Edinburgh on Sat Scots & English. Cameron keep out of London olympics!
01.25pm - 06.02.2012 Trafalgar - Lossiemouth, United Kingdom Report This
We don't want politicians ruining sports programes anyway,, it's bad enough them ruining countries!!!
04.18pm - 06.02.2012 Trafalgar - Lossiemouth, United Kingdom Report This
OOhhhh Mev, don't be silly!! There's a lot of difference between a sports commentator/s and a politician commentating on a rugby match. This is the sort of childish Salmond thrives on. Anything to cause trouble!!!
06.48pm - 06.02.2012 Matty W. - Glasgow, Scotland Report This
Alex Salmond never misses an opportunity to introduce his 'England doesn't respect us' agenda. His opportunism is cleaf, shame on those above who pander to his blatant attempts to play to the Braveheart gallery.
07.50pm - 06.02.2012 Stuart Allan - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Salmond was not so much occupying the moral high ground, as the moral mountain when the BBC axed him for political reasons. However, he surrendered it almost immediately with the "gauleiter" remark. He needs to stop shooting from the hip and running the risk of giving his opponents easy targets.
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