ALBA/SCOTLAND: SCOTSMAN POLL SAYS BBC SHOULD SACK CLARKSON

A poll in the Scotsman newspaper indicates an overwhelming majority of Scots were offended by remarks made by media personality Jeremy Clarkson.

Clarkson outraged disability groups and politicians when he referred to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown as a "one-eyed Scottish idiot". He has since apologised (in part) for the remarks but the furore around them continues. A poll by the Scotsman posing the question "Does Jeremy Clarkson deserve to sacked from the BBC for his comments about Gordon Brown?" had returned a 97% yes vote by midday on Sunday (08/01/09).

Contributors to a forum running alongside the poll were mostly critical with one saying:

"BBC are at fault here. Letting a clown loose with a 2 million wage packet to shower us with his daily cheap shock diatribe of cheap shock. What an ambassador."

Another said:

"Like a handful of other talentless nonentities, Clarkson uses and abuses his undeserved media status."

However, another was more sanguine, saying of Brown:

"He's not a Scottish idiot. Fortunately for Scots, he's a British idiot!"

Clarkson is often mired in controversy and on the Isle of Man, where he has a home, he is currently embroiled in a dispute over rights of way restrictions around the building wqhich is in a popular beauty spot.

J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League

08/01/09