Not for the first time, a particular television company ‘nicks ideas for a programme’ (when not indulging in the worst nepotism resulting in truly awful TV ). This article is taken from Diggers350 email list correspondence…
The 90 minute programme broadcast on Tuesday 10th January is based on Kevin Cahill’s 2001 book “Who Owns Britain”, not that this is acknowledged by the BBC, of course. The programme, originally called “Who Owns Britain” was acknowledged in a letter by the BBC last year, to be based almost entirely on “Who Owns Britain.” (ISBN 086241 912 3 )
The programs findings seem to be lifted mainly from the first few pages of the book plus some inaccuracies…
“Peter and his son, Dan Snow, lift the lid on how few of Britain’s 60million inhabitants own its 60 million acres of land.They reveal that 90 per cent live on about 10 per cent of the land and
that homes are now a third smaller than previous generations’. While the Forestry Commission is still the largest landowner, the Church has sold off over a million acres in recent times; and Prince Charles earns £36k a day from his Duchy of Cornwall land holdings and property portfolio.”
Cahill states in an email to the Diggers350 list:
“Realising that they might have to pay real money if this was so, they re made the programme and in a fit of pique when I complained, changed the name a couple of months ago. I am down in the credits as a “consultant” except I wasn’t. I was deliberately lied to, and excluded from any part in the programme.”
Re errors in the programme Kevin continues..
“You will find that the last time the Forestry Commission published a report, it owned 2.5 million acres of forest. The Queen did not own 1% of the UK, she owns it all, etc, etc. and innumerable such like errors.
Watch it with care. I am told that Peter Snow, good public school chap that he is, says doesn’t really care who owns Britain, which he would wouldn’t he?, since its his public school chums who hold the 69% of Britain that particularly interest yourselves.”
Which I think is a good time to quote favourite squatters band the IT’s and declare “Off With Their Heads!”
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