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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Liam Bryce

Controversial DUP MP Gregory Campbell's interview on SPFL fiasco cut from BBC Sportsound podcast

A controversial DUP MP's appearance on BBC Sportsound has been cut from the podcast version of Saturday's show.

Politician Gregory Campbell's interview sparked an angry backlash online after he was quizzed over raising a parliamentary motion for an independent inquiry into the SPFL voting fiasco.

Campbell, a Rangers fan, brought the early day motion forward this week in a bid to gain support inside the House of Commons.

He was invited onto Sportsound to explain the parliamentary process under which he'd tabled it while conceding the matter "pales into insignificance" in the wider context of the coronavirus pandemic, which has now claimed over 200,000 lives worldwide.

Pundit Michael Stewart appeared to show his disdain for the MP's appearance in a Tweet that thanked each of the episode's contributors apart from Campbell.

His segment has now been removed from the show's listen again version, available to download.

Campbell, the representative for East Londonderry since 2001, has courted controversy in the past.

In 2019, he voted against legalising abortion and same sex marriage in Northern Ireland.

And in the same year, he was one of 21 MPs to formally oppose introducing LGBT inclusive sex and relationship education in English schools.

The decision to give Campbell airtime prompted a furious reaction from some Twitter users.

@superted63 said: "What the hell! DUP on BBC Sportsound. Embarrassing. What a sad day for Scottish football broadcasting."

@GrantPeggie1 said: "Gregory Campbell of the DUP. A new low for @BBCSportsound"

@NoahSolloway4 wrote: "Who made the decision to have Gregory Campbell on? What is the BBC thinking of? Unbelievable."

@martybhoy07 said: "@BBCSportsound You should not have pandered to Gregory Campbell's publicity seeking grandstanding. A very poor editorial decision."

@kerr_richardh wrote: "Disgraceful giving air to the DUP.. shameful"

@pedrok111 said: "Who decided that Gregory Campbell was an acceptable person to discuss Scottish football? Who thought inviting him on was a good idea? To be fair @TEnglishSport made his own views about that interview, known."

And @Dani1987C added: "Having Gregory Campbell on is a new low. Absolutely embarrassing."

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