MP Roger Gale on court filming: 'Not to do with justice'

MP Roger Gale, a former television producer at the BBC, said today a move to bring television cameras into UK court rooms is "about showbusiness and entertainment" and has "nothing to do with justice".

Gale was speaking in an interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme in response to Scottish broadcaster STV's filming today in Edinburgh's High Court of the sentencing of a man found guilty of murder.

STV confirmed last week it had been granted permission to film the judge, Lord Bracadale, as he passed sentence, in what they claimed was a legal first in the UK.

The Judiciary of Scotland confirmed at the time that this was the first time "permission has been granted to film during a sentencing diet in the High Court".

The BBC, ITN and Sky have been campaigning to allow filming in UK courts, with a call for legislation which would allow televised cases to be included in the Queen's speech next month.

Speaking to the BBC today Gale said he was concerned the latest move was "likely to be the thin end of a wedge".

"This process which we are and will be told is about democracy and about exposing justice, is in fact about show-business and entertainment.

"It's being driven by the television companies in general, and by Sky television in particular. Experience in the House of Commons is what broadcasting companies actually want is highlights from the sexy bits of proceedings and that has very little to do with the mundane day-to-day work of what we do or the law courts do."

"What this is about is entertainment and show-business, nothing to do with justice," he added.

Also appearing on BBC Radio 4 Today this morning, Brian McConnachie QC, vice-chair of the Faculty of Advocates Criminal Bar Association said he did not believe "it would be a circus".

"I think there would be limited number of cases which anybody frankly would be interested in listening to ... however there are a number of cases which attract a high degree of public interest.

"At the moment general public knowledge of law perhaps comes from American dramas and soap operas. It would be, I think, both educational and informative for them to see exactly what goes on and the hard work put in on all sides."

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