THE independent candidate for the Redditch parliamentary seat has slammed the BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester after they refused to allow her to take part in their election hustings.
Sally Woodhall hit out after being turned away from the outside broadcast – which featured the other six candidates – at The Bell in Astwood Bank on Monday night (June 5).
“The BBC hadn’t told me about the hustings but I found out from a friend and went along only to be told that, because I did not belong to a political party I could not take part,”
she said.
The Greenlands resident, who has lived in the town for 50 years and is proud of her independent status admits she ‘hit the roof’.
“I was the only candidate not allowed to take part – I call them the Biased Broadcasting Corporation,” she said.
“What they did is so wrong and I believe it’s happening to independent candidates up and down the country, they are going out and denying us a voice.
“They said I could not take part but I could join the audience. No way! I’m a candidate and deserved my place with the rest of them.”
Ms Woodhall had already taken part in two other hustings – Question Time-type events where the public get to quiz the candidates.
She had been on the platform at the hustings in Inkberrow chaired by Redditch Standard editor Ross Crawford and at the one at the Oasis Christian Centre chaired by Baptist minister Andrew Diaper.
The Redditch Standard contacted the BBC before 10am this morning (Tuesday, June 6) seeking an explanation.
A BBC spokesperson said: “We make judgements about the level of coverage a candidate receives based on past electoral support and in line with our own election guidelines and the Ofcom code.
“Sally Woodhall’s candidature was clearly signposted in our debate programme, as well as elsewhere in our radio output.
“She has separately recorded an interview with us and this can be found on our constituency page online.”
Also standing in the General Election on June 8 for the Redditch are: Rebecca Blake (Labour), Susan Juned (Liberal Democrat Party), Rachel Maclean (Conservative), Neal Stote (National Health Action Party), Paul Swansborough (UK Independence Party), Kevin White (Green Party).
