Backlash as republicans try to spoil royal party
ROYAL fans eagerly celebrating the new arrival yesterday were certainly not about to have their party spoiled.
So when a ‘miserable republican’ appeared on the BBC moaning about extensive coverage of the princess’s birth, viewers were quick to voice their anger.
The corporation received formal complaints for interviewing anti-monarchy campaigner Graham Smith on its News 24 channel on Saturday evening, minutes before the Duchess of Cambridge was seen leaving hospital cradling her daughter.
Other viewers criticised the BBC on Twitter for giving Mr Smith a platform after he insisted people were ‘sick and tired’ of the royal reporting.
Mr Smith, the chief executive of the campaign group Republic, told BBC News 24: ‘Most people in this country today are enjoying their Bank Holiday weekend and not interested in wall-to-wall coverage of the royal baby.
‘There’s a lot of serious news to be covered today and we shouldn’t be spending our time promoting what is a political institution … It isn’t that important, and it’s frankly quite offensive to all those [other] parents with children born today to suggest that it is.’
But Kaye Crawford wrote on Twitter: ‘The BBC should be ashamed of themselves letting that awful republican on.
‘It’s a new little baby, we don’t want misery and bitterness.’
Fred Hardman posted: ‘Who is this miserable republican b****** on BBC News???’ And Rob Ackroyd wrote: ‘BBC found a republican having a whinge about the royal birth, miserable git.’
Another Twitter user branded Mr Smith an ‘ absolute i diot’ and ‘attention seeking wally’, while Will Mattin posted: ‘BBC, why after the wonderful news of the birth of a princess do you give air time to this pathetic republican weasel?’
A user called Cath posted an image of a giant thumbs down while also branding Mr Smith a ‘miserable republican’.
Viewers then celebrated when Mr Smith’s anti-royal tirade was interrupted to return to live coverage of the hospital – which offered fans an eagerly awaited first sighting of the royal baby.
Charlie Hayes wrote on Twitter: ‘Hilarious! “You might want to leave the room” says BBC anchor to humorless republican as he is cut short to return to hospital.’ A f ew vi ewers did support Mr Smith’s opinions, including retired t eacher and s el f - proclaimed socialist Linda Murphy, who posted on the website: ‘Excellent republican on BBC News.’
Yesterday the BBC could not give any details about the f ormal complaints over Mr Smith’s appearance. But one woman who phoned to complain said she was told several other viewers had also called in with the same criticism.
The complaints came after Ken Livingstone was rude about the royal birth live on air minutes after it was announced.
The f ormer London Labour mayor made a series of off-colour remarks on LBC radio on Saturday morning.
When challenged that he could not say anything pleasant about the news, he replied: ‘ I’m always delighted to see another person dependent on the state coming into being.’
A BBC spokesman said: ‘The birth of the new royal princess is a huge story in the UK and across the world and our coverage reflects that, including speaking to a range of different guests.’