British Broadcasting Corporation Room 3218 White City 201 Wood Lane London W12 7TS Telephone 0181 752 5252 Ext 6768/6769/6873/4022/6374 Fax 0181 752 6772/4090 Independents' Commissioning Group, Factual
David
Irving
26 March 1999
Dear David Irving Thank you for your letter of 21 March. When I approached you some 18 months ago I asked you if you would be willing to be interviewed about the fact that you have been banned by a number of countries and professional organisations because of your views. The interview which was recorded four months ago pursued that topic, in the context of a film which dealt with the limits of free expression. You provided a spirited defence of your right to say what you will and, whatever my personal opinion of your views, I agree with your position on freedom of speech. At no time did I suggest that the interview would be used in an edition of Storyville. In the course of our meeting, I explained again that it would be used in a series about the Far Right and the way their views were censored. There has been no change in the nature of the project since then. I take your point that you do not consider yourself a member of the Far Right. However, as the commentary at the beginning of the film made clear, you have become "a guru to the extreme right" and that is a recognition of the way in which you are seen by many of those who regard themselves as holding extreme right views. Incidentally, you did convince me that you should receive protection under whatever legislation we end up with in relation to free speech. It is up to the television audience to make up their own minds. Yours sincerely Nick Fraser | |||
Those interested can compare his denials that he suggested that the interview would be used in an edition of the highly serious and widely praised series Storyville, with his letters on that programme's notepaper in this dossier [1] [2] [3] [4] | |||
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