Sir, – The practice at BBC Northern Ireland where television broadcasters wear the poppy while at work must surely tarnish the BBC’s image of impartiality. It is my understanding that following the signing of the Belfast Agreement a new code of ethics was agreed which included the banning of political emblems and flags in the workplace.
Without question, the wearing of the poppy has overtly unionist overtones and indeed has the potential to offend as the money raised by the selling of the poppy is used to provide support for British ex-servicemen, some of whom would have served in the North during the Troubles, including those soldiers who were involved in Bloody Sunday in Derry in 1972 and in the Ballymurphy Massacre in Belfast in 1971.
Following the introduction of the MacBride Principles in 1989, which included the banning of provocative political emblems in the workplace, all public bodies in Northern Ireland, including the BBC, voluntarily agreed to implement a “neutral workplace” in attempts to end sectarianism which was endemic in the North.
Curiously, the BBC World Service bans presenters from wearing the poppy in the workplace in case it might cause offence to people overseas. They should extend that policy to the North.
– Yours, etc,
TOM COOPER,
Templeogue,
Dublin 6W.