Norwich North

I don't know what to make of this. Craig Murray claims he's being gagged. He's standing in the Norwich North by-election, due in two weeks' time. There are eleven other candidates, with the Tories favourite to win. Last I heard, Ladbrokes were quoting him at 25/1, ahead of the Lib Dems (33/1) and the BNP (200/1), UKIP and sundry others.

He's had grief (which he blames on the Ministry of Justice) from the Post Office over getting his electoral address out; the BBC is refusing to give him any coverage; "and, despite numerous representations from within their own union, the Universities and Colleges Union have still banned me from this evenings candidates' education debate, despite the fact that I am the Rector of a Univeristy and a great deal more interesting on the subject than the rest of the candidates put together."

Craig Murray, one of the Indy's Alternative National Treasures*, is the ex-ambassador to Uzbekistan, the man who blew the whistle on the UK's complicity in obtaining "evidence" through torture. In this respect he is on the side of the angels. He was hounded out of office for his pains. All sorts of mud was chucked at him, and then he was ignored, except by the (occasionally rather strange) people that haunt his comments box. By his own admission he's clearly not the most compliant of employees, and his behaviour in - ah - certain matters has been less than saintly. That sets him apart from other pols then, eh?

He is standing on an anti-sleaze platform.** Whatever mud's actually stuck to him from the past, none of it's sleaze-coloured.

Minority candidates usually get a bum deal from the media, unless they are deemed to be newsworthy in their own right. Think how the media have salivated over BNP - and I wonder how many votes BNP would get if they didn't. I'd have thought Murray's colourful past and ability to insert himself in the governmental nasal orifice would make good copy, but the BBC doesn't see it that way:

[in]response to the many complaints about their decision to exclude me from all election coverage. They have started to send out standard replies saying:
one of the key factors they look for is "evidence of past and/or current electoral support" in that electoral area.
Note the BBC's own quotation marks within that quote. They have tacked on "In that area" to their formal criterion.

When the BBC banned me from all coverage at the last General Election when I stood in Blackburn against Jack Straw, who is blocking my electoral address now, the BBC explained it was because I had no "evidence of past and/or current electoral support".

I gained 5% in that election - which is a lot better than the 3% the Greens got in the same election in Norwich North. That 5% may have been modest, but it does meet the BBC's criterion. So the BBC have now moved the goalposts to exclude me, by adding a brand new stipulation "in that area" to their criterion, so the electoral support in Blackburn does not count - despite the fact I might reasonably expect to do a lot better in my own county.

As for the bureaucracy, the whole system is geared up to deal with major parties. So the apparent gagging of Dr Murray isn't necessarily evidence of bad faith conspiring to put the kibosh on his campaign, more likely a convergence of inertia, incuriosity and incompetence. Nevertheless, it is all a bit odd.

I don't know if I'd be voting for him myself if I were in Norwich North. You have to question the common sense of someone who imagines that voters will bother to look at an election address on DVD. But whatever your political stripe, if his allegations here have any real substance it's a cause for concern. The three major parties have an entrenched right to airtime whatever their chances of success, while BNP is becoming a creature of the media, interviewed and analysed wherever they go.


*The Independent says:

Craig Murray Former ambassador

Britain is a better place now that Craig Murray has returned. As ambassador to Uzbekistan, Murray witnessed the UK's changing attitude to torture, and rather than keep it under his hat, came back and revealed all. He had his own problems, what with the drinking and leaving his wife for a dancer. But after a breakdown, he has bounced back to become a fully fledged member of the awkward squad. The Foreign Office may have disowned him, but we welcome him with open arms.

**The Put an Honest Man in Parliament party isn't quite as sexist as it sounds. He had to form it urgently as it was the only way he could get the slogan on the ballot paper.