Criticism led to insults, says M.P.

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33979, 21 October 1975, Page 1

Criticism led to insults, says M.P.

The row over TVl’s “Seven Days” duxes and dunces programme which assessed M.P.’s abilities went a stage further last night when the former Minister of Broadcasting, Mr H. J. Walker, suggested that the allegations were a consequence of his criticism of additional broadcasting staff. Mr Walker, who was classified as a dunce on Sunday night, said later in an

interview on TVI that, as National’s broadcasting spokesman, he had been critical of developments under the present Government. ‘‘One of my criticisms has been of the number of additional staff employed, and of those, 99 are journalists,” he said. “I feel that members of the panel are within that 99, and I suppose they are concerned as to what might happen to broadcasting if National becomes the Government. “Maybe they’re a little jittery,” Mr Walker said. He added that he would

not accept any of the other criticisms. His leader and his party felt he had played a full part. Mr John Kirk, the M.P. for Sydenham, was also labelled as a dunce. He was given an unexpected pat on the back by Mr Walker, who was asked whether he thought John Kirk had been honest or foolish. "I think he is honest,” replied Mr Walker. “In my Address-in-Reply speech, when John came in to the House, I said that from what I knew of him I thought he would make his own decisions, and speak out when he felt he should.”

r Mr Kirk, who had earlier 1 challenged one or all of the 1 political commentators to a live television debate, r rejected the “Seven Days” i charges as inaccurate. i “I have been charged with e being closest to the plodders, s but there is nothing wrong t with that,” Mr Kirk said. t He had also been charged with paying more attention ” to his electorate than to national matters, but he y pledged, when elected, that n he would be an electorate t man. I Mr Kirk said that being a s loner was of benefit, “and it you travel a lot further.” “You have to be some-

■ thing of an individualist, and be a bit too honest. I don’t see why you should not be honest in politics, and if I am berated by political correspondents or political : scientists, "where does this leave them?” Television One’s head of information programmes (Mr I Des Monaghan) did not i respond to Mr Kirk’s chali lenge to a live television . debate. He said politicians : were accountable to the ■ public. “We are not in the chali lenge business,” he said when i asked whether TVI would arrange a debate. . “If one of the four com-

1 mentators wants to answer t the challenge, then that is a » matter between him and Mr I Kirk,” Mr Monaghan said. .1 “The views on the pro.l gramme were those of four s people, and a lot of thought went into the assessments f made.” r Mr Monaghan said that two tor three M.P.s from both . sides were unlucky not to be a included in the top three, and s a larger number were lucky e not to be included among the bottom three on each side. I I- The results were a confl sensus reached among the d commentators taking part, and had been carefully calcui- lated.