Bradshaw blasts 'relentless attack' on BBC

The Government has "relentlessly attacked and undermined the BBC" and condemned ITV's regional news to a "slow death", Shadow Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw claimed yesterday.

By The Newsroom

Published 29th Sep 2010, 22:24 BST

Updated 29th Sep 2010, 22:24 BST

In his speech to the Labour Party conference Mr Bradshaw called on Business Secretary Vince Cable to ask the competition authorities to investigate the attempt by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation to take full control of satellite broadcaster BSkyB.

NewsCorp's interests include The Sun and The Times, which both supported the Tories at the last election, and the firm is attempting to buy the 61 per cent of BSkyB it does not already own.

Mr Bradshaw told Labour delegates in Manchester the Tories had "relentlessly attacked and undermined the BBC".

He added: " They have condemned ITV news in the regions of England and in Wales and Scotland to a slow death."

He accused the Liberal Democrats of being "willing collaborators" in "the biggest assault on our arts, culture and sport this country will have ever seen".