by Sunny Hundal

I’ve been doing a bit of digging on a curious story a couple of weeks ago that simultaneously appeared in the Sunday Telegraph, Sunday Times and the next day in the Daily Mail.

The newspaper reports essentially said: a Channel 4 programmes commissioner has been tipped as the “front-runner” as the new Head of Religion at the BBC. But oh no, he’s Muslim! Oh, and a Sikh guy makes Songs of Praise for the BBC! Ethnics are taking over! Who will think of the poor Christians?



I wrote it up for Comment is Free.

Now, of course I don’t want Christians to be sidelined but the record of Aaqil Ahmed (the Muslim Channel 4 commissioner) and Tommy Nagra (Sikh producer of Songs of Praise) doesn’t offer any indication that they will. Channel 4 has done tons of interesting programmes about Christianity in recent years.

It’s just heavily implied that they got this far because of their race, and that if they get the job it will only be because of their backgrounds, and that they will discriminate against Christians.

The problem is that this media hit-job smacks of precisely the things that right-wingers complain about. Firstly it’s classic identity (religious) politics.

Secondly, it’s their unwillingness to believe in meritocracy. If ethnic / religious minorities do well then, for these newspapers, it’s only thanks to political correctness gone mad. I expect the Christian lobby in the UK to be strong – but why are the organisations spear-heading this campaign allowed to get away with such naked bigotry?

The cause has also been taken up by Christian Concern for Our Nation. They advise members to complain to the BBC:

Your letter or email could make a few of the following points, in your own words: – I am concerned that a Muslim or a Sikh may soon be appointed as head of religious programming at the BBC. – Given that we are a Christian Nation, it is appropriate that the post of Commissioning Editor, Religion and Head of Religion and Ethics at the BBC should continue to be a Christian. – I strongly object to the appointment of a person who does not belong to the Christian faith, as this appointment is not representative of the beliefs of the majority of licence holders.

This is the same organisation, by the way, that teamed up with Nadine Dorries MP during her campaign to restrict abortion rights, and most likely funded her website – 20 Reasons for 20 Weeks. They’re also very homophobic.

It’s good to know the sort of company the tory MP likes to hang out with. Let’s see if the BBC capitulate to right-wing pressure from xenophobes, yet again.