BBC defend BNP 'Newsbeat' interview

The BBC has defended an interview in which a BNP member said that footballer Ashley Cole is "not ethnically British".

The interview, on Radio 1's Newsbeat, introduced "two young guys who are members of the BNP", but The Mail On Sunday claims that they are actually senior officials in the party.

The BBC has received over 100 complaints about the programme, in which one of the men was asked whether Ashley Cole can call himself British.

"He cannot say that he's ethnically British," he replied, while the other explained: "I would be upset if there were no more giant pandas, I'd be upset if there were no more lions, if there were no more tigers, so equally I'd be upset if white people weren't here any more."

In a blog on the Newsbeat website, editor Rod McKenzie wrote: "It is the BBC's job to properly examine all legitimate political parties that operate within the law for which people clearly vote.

"A great many texts we received [after the interview] were broadly supportive of the BNP. Over time, it's evident from following our listeners that the party touches a nerve of support or interest.

"By the way, we also received messages of support from those who believed we had exposed the weakness of the BNP on a range of issues."

Meanwhile, the BBC's complaints unit said: "Newsbeat interviewed Nick Griffin and two young BNP activists in the light of huge audience response to recent stories about BNP electoral success and what they stand for.

"Both interviews were rigorous and the bulk of the tough questions asked were inspired by, or directly quoted, listeners. Our audience have diverse views on these subjects and many believe we should examine the BNP's policies more closely. This was a way to shine a light on the views of the BNP, allowing people to make up their own minds."

However, Shadow Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt said that the BBC should launch an investigation into whether the interview breached the corporation's guidelines.

"The point of interviewing the BNP is to make sure they are held to account for their totally noxious views," he said. "It would appear that did not happen here and that is a matter of great concern."

The BBC caused controversy recently when it invited BNP leader Nick Griffin to appear on Question Time.