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The BBC has said it will not play "Ding, Dong the Witch is Dead" in full during this weekend's chart show.

Instead it will play a short clip of the 51 second song during the chart countdown.

A short news item explaining why the song is in the charts will also be aired.

The Wizard Of Oz song rocketed into the Top 40 following a Facebook campaign set up by Thatcher critics following her death.

It has already claimed the top spot in the iTunes download chart.

MPs had questioned whether Radio 1 should include the track on Sunday while many at the Beeb believe they should defy critics and play the track which is currently at number 3 in the Official Chart.

However, today a spokesman for the corporation said: "The BBC finds this campaign distasteful but does not believe the record should be banned.

"On Sunday, the Radio 1 Chart Show will contain a news item explaining why the song is in the charts, during which a short clip will be played as it has been in some of our news programmes."

Speaking to Newsbeat, Radio 1 controller Ben Cooper explained: "The decision I have made is I am not going to play it in full but that I will play a clip of it in a news environment.

"When I say a news environment, that is a newsreader telling you about the fact that this record has reached a certain place in the chart and here is a clip of that track.

"It is a compromise and it is a difficult compromise to come to. You have very difficult and emotional arguments on both sides of the fence.

"Let's not forget you also have a family that is grieving for a loved one who is yet to be buried."

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Radio 2 played a 15 second clip of the song on the Jeremy Vine show today before a debate on the furore surrounding the song.

BBC Radio 2 DJ Paul Gambaccini says it should be played.

He told BBC WM: "The Top 40 is the news of music.

"It's not something to editorialise about - it's just fact. You can't change reality."

Earlier he tweeted: "Of course the chart show should play it. You wouldn't not report a lead story."

And Ukip leader Nigel Farage, an ardent supporter of Lady Thatcher, said: "If you suppress things then you make them popular, so play the bloody thing.

"If you ban it, it will be number one for weeks.

"Personally I think that the behaviour of these yobs - most of whom weren’t even born when Lady Thatcher was in power - is horrible, offensive and disgusting."

Tory Therese Coffey said: “People are buying it but I think it is in rather poor taste.

"It would be a mistake for the BBC to do it. It is not a case of banning it. It is a judgement call.”

John Whittingdale, chair of the Culture Media and Sport select committee said the BBC should ignore the song as it is a "political act to manipulate the charts".

The Tory MP said: "I hope people will not try to propel this song to the top of the charts.

"It is now a lot easier to get a song to the top of the charts than it was, and this is an attempt to manipulate the charts by people trying to make a political point.

"Most people will find that offensive and deeply insensitive, and for that reason it would be better if the BBC did not play it."

Labour’s Gerry Sutcliffe added: “There has to be dignity in death. While I disagreed with everything she stood for, she was the PM.”