• Backlash about BBC’s handling of Naga Munchetty
• BBC journalist Naga Munchetty has been reprimanded forbreaching the broadcaster’s editorial guidelines.
• Luke Pollard MP: “Naga has my support and the backing of MPs across the political spectrum”

Luke has thrown his support behind Naga Munchetty by signing a Parliamentary Early Day Motion which ‘condemns the perverse decision by the BBC complaints unit to criticise presenter Naga Munchetty’.

The swell of support for Ms. Munchetty came after the BBC decided that the journalist breached the broadcaster’s editorial guidelines and “went beyond what the guidelines allow for”. The incident occured in July when in a discussion about the racist language used by President Donald Trump in exclaiming that four female US Congresswomen should go back to the “places from which they came”. Naga said she was “furious” at the language used by Donald Trump, the President of the United States. Ms Munchetty said: ““Every time I have been told, as a woman of colour, to go back to where I came from, that was embedded in racism.” She was right.

Luke Pollard, the MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, said:

“BBC journalists shouldn’t be prohibited from commenting on evidently racist language at a time when racist rhetoric is having a real impact on people’s lives. Racism is not an opinion, we should not treat it as such – it should not need balance and journalists should be unafraid to call it out. I strongly support Naga Munchetty’s stance and think the BBC have made a big mistake. With hate on the rise we must do all we can to call out hate, abuse and racism. Naga has my support and the backing of MPs across the political spectrum. I hope the BBC thinks again.”

Luke is the only Plymouth MP to sign this motion. You can see who else has signed it here.