Media Lens alerted me to this...

A recent 'media alert' concerned a Newsnight interview with George Galloway. The first question asked to Galloway by Paxman was "are you proud to have defeated one of the only black women in parliament?". Galloway refused to answer the question.

Galloway may or may not be a hero, and he could have easily answered that stupid question. but the serious point, made in Media Lens is the way the media, and the 'impartial' BBC treats dissenters, activists, radicals and anyone who opposes those in power. Powerful politicians are always treated with too much respect and passionate activists with too much contempt. I wrote to the BBC and got a predictable, boring response, including the legend...

"The BBC is not allowed under the terms of its Charter to actively promote political parties or activities"

which was followed later on, to try and placate me with...

"It is also worth pointing out that the key issue on which Respect was campaigning in Bethnal Green and Bow 'the war in Iraq' was covered substantially by BBC News in the course of the campaign, including a full constituency report on the Ten O'Clock News on BBC1."

Which seems to suggest, either that BBC News have been actively promoting the Respect Party, or simply that they have indeed covered the 'war in Iraq' on BBC News.

The issue off race and gender is astounding, None of the major political parties have equal numbers of male and female MPs, or fairt representation for ethnic minorities, and to criticise Respect which is essentially a one man party for unfair representation in parliament is just insane.

Better perhaps to look at the voting record of the two MPs and see which has a better record in helping ethnic minorites and promoting harmony. It's important to remember that black women MPs can be bad and do damage to the people of their country as well as white male ones.

Galloway voted:
-Against the War in Iraq
-Against new repressive anti terrorism legislation
-Against ID cards - which are widely predicted to increase polic harassment of ethnic minorities
-Against student fees
-Against foundation hospitals, which while they do not target minorities specifically are anti poor measures

Oona King voted
-For introducing foundation hospitals.
-For introducing student top-up fees.
-For Labour's anti-terrorism laws.
-For the Iraq war.
-For introducing ID cards.

Disregarding their respective skin colours, which one of these MPs looks like a friend of ethnic minorities?