Clarkson Recommends Executing Striking Workers In The Interest Of "Balance".
Jeremy Clarkson comments 'disgraceful and disgusting', says Ed Miliband
Nearly 5,000 complain to BBC after Top Gear presenter said striking public sector workers should be shot
Ed Miliband has called on Jeremy Clarkson to apologise for his "absolutely disgraceful and disgusting" claim that striking public sector workers should be "shot".
The BBC said it had received nearly 5,000 complaints about Clarkson's remarks on The One Show by lunchtime on Thursday.
Clarkson is under fire after saying on the BBC's The One Show on Wednesday night of those who took part in the mass day of industrial action over pensions: "I would take them outside and execute them in front of their families."
He added: "I mean, how dare they go on strike when they've got these gilt-edged pensions that are going to be guaranteed while the rest of us have to work for a living?"
Miliband rallied to the defence of public sector workers as he called on Clarkson to apologise.
"Jeremy Clarkson should apologise for those comments. He obviously does not understand the lives of the people who were going out on strike yesterday."
Unison, the country's largest public sector union, described his comments as appalling and has called on the BBC to sack the Top Gear presenter.
But David Cameron, who is a personal friend of Clarkson, played down the presenter's broadside against public sector staff who went on strike over the government's proposed changes to their pensions.
In an interview on the This Morning programme, the prime minister called the comments "silly" but played down the incident. "It was obviously a silly thing to say and I am sure he didn't mean that."
The BBC issued an apology over the comments, which sparked hundreds of angry comments on Twitter.
A spokesman said: "The One Show apologised at the end of the show to viewers who may have been offended by Jeremy Clarkson's comments."
The BBC said it had received 4,769 complaints about Clarkson's remark, with nearly another 100 to media regulator Ofcom.
This is a relatively large volume of complaints for a TV show. The controversial EastEnders cot death storyline earlier this year prompted 8,400 complaints to the corporation.
A BBC spokeswoman said Wednesday's episode of The One Show would not be available on the BBC iPlayer on Thursday.
Unison said it was considering whether the comments should be referred to the police.
Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, said: "Clarkson's comments on the One Show were totally outrageous, and they cannot be tolerated. We are seeking urgent legal advice about what further action we can take against him and the BBC, and whether or not his comments should be referred to the police.
"Public sector workers and their families are utterly shocked by Jeremy Clarkson's revolting comments. We know that many other licence fee-payers share our concerns about his outrageous views.
"The One Show is broadcast at a time when children are watching - they could have been scared and upset by his aggressive statements. An apology is not enough - we are calling on the BBC to sack Jeremy Clarkson immediately. Such disgusting statements have no place on our TV screens.
"Jeremy Clarkson clearly needs a reminder of just who he is talking about when he calls for public sector workers to be shot in front of their families. Whilst he is driving round in fast cars for a living, public sector workers are busy holding our society together - they save others' lives on a daily basis, they care for the sick, the vulnerable, the elderly.
"They wipe bottoms, noses, they help children to learn, and empty bins. They deserve all our thanks - certainly not the unbelievable level of abuse he threw at them."
Clarkson earns over £1m from his BBC related activities - including an estimated £400,000 directly from the licence fee and a further sum from his commercial activities. Last year he took home £854,000 from his company, Bedder 6, which exploits Top Gear commercially and internationally.
(Source)
Another article pointing out previous dodgy comments by Clarkson (since that really isn't anything new) shows that he's bought into the Daily Fail conceit that the BBC indulges in "PC gone mad". He argues that for every straight white male the BBC feels the need to balance them with "a black Muslim lesbian".
In the light of this, if you look at the transcript The One Show have released of Clarkson's actual comments things fall into place a bit. He begins by saying that he loves the strikes because they left the roads clear for him. Then, in the interests of balance *facepalm*, he decides to shift into a fascist tirade against strikes in the public sector.
Some key bits of the transcript are edited together under the cut:
Matt Baker: So Jeremy, schools, hospitals, airports, even driving tests have been affected. Do you the strikes are a good idea?
Jeremy Clarkson: It's been fantastic. Seriously, never had … London today has just been empty. Everybody stayed at home, you could whizz about, your restaurants were empty.
...
Jeremy Clarkson: What, in public service? Of course I don't [know anyone striking today]. No, absolutely. We have to balance it though, don't we because this is the BBC.
Alex Jones and Matt Baker: Exactly.
Jeremy Clarkson: Frankly, I'd have them all shot!
[studio laughs]
.... (Clarkson's tirade about having strikers shot in front of their families here)...
Matt Baker: Well, on that note of balancing an opinion of course those are Jeremy's views.
Jeremy Clarkson: I just … ! I was just giving two views for you!
What a wally! I do wonder whether Ed Miliband doesn't have rather important things to criticise though....