The Ukip Welsh assembly member Neil Hamilton has posted a video in which he claims to have “triggered leftie luvvies” including Gary Lineker, after Hamilton complained to the BBC that children were giving “childish” answers about Brexit in a “biased and absurd” radio broadcast.
Hamilton publicised his complaint to the BBC and Ofcom after a section of Monday’s World at One on Radio 4. During the programme the BBC reporter Tomos Morgan was interviewing children at a Welsh primary school about their views on Brexit.
One 10-year-old told the BBC: “I don’t want to leave Brexit because even though we have to give money, they give us money too, to improve our schools and community.”
And a nine-year-old said: “I think it is a bad idea because one of my friends in year three/four says she wanted to be a music singer, well, teacher, and someone asked her, she said, well, if I want to go around the world to see different music and see how it is, she won’t be able to because we’ve left breakfast [sic].”
Hamilton’s complaint included the claim that Morgan “failed to question any of the patently childish answers given to him”.
Describing it as a “mawkish puff piece”, Hamilton said: “Every child who featured on the programme was anti-Brexit and the segment lacked any form of political balance.”
Hamilton said in his video, published on Tuesday evening, that it was “a real joy” to see “leftie luvvies get really triggered”, naming the Match of the Day presenter Lineker and the LBC presenter James O’Brien, among others.
“We’ve heard the childish responses of the children,” Hamilton said, claiming they seemed “positively grown up” compared with the “collective squeals” of the “snowflakes” who had mocked his initial complaint on social media.
It was a pleasure to see Lefty luvvies like @GaryLineker, @mrjamesob, @JonnElledge, @JimMFelton get triggered today on social media, after I made a complaint to the BBC & Ofcom about The World at One asking nine-year old’s their views on Brexit. Education not indoctrination! pic.twitter.com/EdMADcXfAs
— Neil Hamilton AC/AM (@NeilUKIP) March 20, 2018
During the interviews, one 11-year-old said: “I know that there’s a lot of people who have friends who are in Europe, and if we were to leave they might not have been able to get in. I am aware that the people that can come into the country who may not always do good things, and they can do bad things, but on the other hand you do have relatives and friends. It’s better to see them in real life than just Skyping all the time and stuff.”
The inspiration for the radio segment was the announcement by the Welsh government of a consultation among children about Brexit. The Young Wales network of organisations is involved in plans to contact children aged 11 and above, while schools will be recording the views of seven- to 11-year-olds.
The Welsh children’s minister, Huw Irranca-Davies, said: “Our children are our future, so it’s absolutely vital we ensure their views and concerns are listened to.”
In his complaint, Hamilton quoted a 2016 survey by the TES suggesting that 75% of teachers supported remaining in the EU. The true figure was 70%. Hamilton claimed: “The dangers of bias and indoctrination in the classroom are high, even if done unconsciously.”
Another Ukip Welsh assembly member, Gareth Bennett, has claimed the Welsh government’s consultation is “part of a sinister plot by the left”.
Responding to Hamilton’s complaint, a BBC spokesperson said: “The World at One reported on a recent Welsh government initiative to consult children and young people about the Brexit process. As part of the programme we heard from children who gave their own opinion about Brexit, which we continue to report on impartially and fairly.”
Hamilton, who is the leader of Ukip in Wales, was elected to the Welsh assembly in May 2016. He was previously the Conservative MP for Tatton in Cheshire before losing his seat to Martin Bell in 1997 after the “cash for questions” scandal.
