I SWEAR that BBC London (HQ) are trying to create a new comedy programme. It might be titled “How can we progress independence?”
The idea is that if they push London-centricity enough, the Scots will up and leave the Union. Oops, that’s not what Boris has in mind – he wants our earning potential.
Let’s look at the latest move. They will give major production and filming in Scotland to Studioworks, an independent contract company based in England, with no commitment to using a Scottish workforce. They will then be able to close down production in Scotland.
This means that the new studio in the existing Kelvin Hall will be empty. No fault of the BBC in London, because somebody else did the deed. They also wish to take over the existing space at Pacific Quay. Well that’s all very nice, since they own Pacific Quay. However, the Kelvin Hall conversion is partially funded by a Scottish Government grant of £7.9 million towards the total cost of £11.9m; 66.4% of the total is covered by the Scottish people from their taxes.
The burning question therefore is – do we, the people, own 66% of the studio they’re creating or do we get our money back if BBC Scotland production collapses and with it the jobs so they don’t need the new studio? Or what you might ask is “who owns the studio?”
If we, the people, are going to support projects – and I firmly believe we should – we should have a clawback clause that gives us the right to the percentage we financed.
Ian Rankine
via email
READ MORE: 'Snowflakes': Councillors banned from calling Conservatives 'Tories'
COUNCILLOR Todd Ferguson objected to being called “Tory” (‘Snowflake’ Tories put ban on calling them Tories in row at council, June 17).
Taken from the Irish language, “Tory” means “outlaw, robber, brigand”. What has changed, since 1685 when the term was first introduced into Great Britain, to reject it now?
Mike Underwood
Linlithgow
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