LETTER: Cliff Richard right to sue the BBC
Congratulations to Cliff Richard in taking on the BBC and getting judgement against them in his invasion of privacy case.
Only one problem. It’s not the BBC who will pay damages, or fees, no doubt, to their expensive defence team, it’s the poor licence fee payer through their contribution to that corporation. However, as he’s quoted in saying, the very important people at the top will not be punished.
The reporters were, to use a well hackneyed phrase, ‘only following orders’. A spokeswoman for the BBC says the ruling is a ‘dramatic shift against press freedom’.
Poppycock! Someone, somewhere knows the full story about how the BBC happened to have a handy helicopter hovering over Cliff Richard’s home as the ‘raid’ took place.
He had no warning before the forces of law and order searched it but the BBC knew all about it. Had the ‘visit’ taken place without the sensationalist coverage by the BBC, Mr Richard would not have suffered the damage to his physical and mental wellbeing he did.
Perhaps, if tempted to repeat such an operation in future, the BBC may think twice, although personally I doubt this will happen. Doesn’t it make you proud the BBC, our national broadcaster, acts in such a way?
One final point, were Cliff Richard not a wealthy man, but just an ordinary member of the public, would such a fuss have been made about the ‘raid’ and would that individual have had the funds to take them on in court anyway?
Mr M Gough
Wombourne
