Parliament: No way to treat a dog, say MPs

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MPS CALLED on the BBC last night to reconsider its decision to axe One Man and His Dog from the nation's TV screens.

Peter Bradley, MP for The Wrekin and chair of the Rural Group of Labour MPs, tabled a Commons motion attacking the "high-handed and insensitive" move to take the programme off the air.

The Early Day Motion points out that the programme attracted eight million viewers before it was rescheduled and had brought pleasure to both town and country dwellers over 23 years.

"This is no way to treat a loyal friend. This House regrets that the BBC is once again abandoning its duty to minority interests in pursuit of mass markets and calls on the schedulers to review their decision," the motion states.

Mr Bradley, whose remarks were backed by the Culture Secretary, Chris Smith, at the weekend, said last night that he expected a "torrent" of cross-party support for this motion.

"It's an issue which has united town and country, left and right, old and new, Tory, Liberal and Labour," he said.