BBC allows presenters to wear white poppies
‘Wearing poppies is an act of remembrance, and remembrance poppies can be of many colours.’
The BBC has confirmed that its presenters can wear white poppies on television in the run-up to Remembrance Sunday. Presenters may wear remembrance poppies ‘of any colour’ between Saturday 30 October and Sunday 14 November.
The confirmation follows confusion last year when controversies concerning BBC staff endorsing political positions raised questions over whether the BBC would allow white poppies to be worn. The row broke out when director general Tim Davie told staff to avoid displays of political bias.
After advice to refrain from campaigning, and even from the use of emojis, news executives and presenters publicly queried whether pinning on a red or white poppy also counted as the expression of a personal view. But a BBC spokesperson said in The Observer at the time that: ‘Wearing poppies is an act of remembrance, and remembrance poppies can be of many colours.’
The Peace Pledge Union (PPU), which distributes white poppies, welcomed the BBC’s clarity on this year’s decision.
Geoff Tibbs, remembrance project manager at the PPU, said: ‘White poppies stand for remembrance of all victims of war, looking beyond national borders, as well as a rejection of militarism and a commitment to working towards a peaceful future. These messages have a renewed urgency today, as Covid and the climate crisis have shown the need to co-operate peacefully across borders and that militarism cannot make us safe.’
The PPU said that the number of shops and other outlets stocking white poppies has more than doubled in the last five years. There are now over 150 outlets altogether.
Around the country Quakers will join numerous events to honour Armistice Day on 11 November and Remembrance Sunday on 14 November.
