But watchdog rules that it wasn't incitement

Jo Brand's joke about throwing battery acid at far-right politicians has been censured by the BBC’s independent  complaints unit.

But accusations that that gag on Radio 4’s Heresy amounted to incitement to violence were rejected by the watchdogs.

When the joke aired in June, following a spate of protesters throwing milkshakes at political leaders, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage reacted with fury and urged the police to get involved.

On the programme, Brand said: ‘Certain unpleasant characters are being thrown to the fore and they’re very, very easy to hate and I’m kind of thinking: "Why bother with a milkshake when you could get some battery acid?"’

The BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit agreed that the line went too far, but said it wasn’t incitement because of its context.

They said they ‘recognised that the wider message from this episode is an argument for more civility in political discourse, not less, and Ms Brand's contribution is not intended to be taken as face value’.

However they ruled that the gag ‘went beyond what was appropriate for the show’ and partly upheld listener complaints.

But the unit noted that ‘in the right context and with the right treatment, there is no subject matter which should be beyond the scope of comedy’.

On the show – which is designed to air deliberately provocative views – Brand added: ‘I'm not going to do it, it's purely a fantasy. But I think milkshakes are pathetic.’

And following the media backlash she was quoted as admitting it was 'somewhat crass and an ill-judged joke’. 

The BBC defended the comments – but removed them from the catch-up version of the show and regretted ‘any offence we have caused’.

At the time Farage – who had previously complained about the over-policing of humour – said: ‘This is incitement of violence and the police need to act. I am sick to death of overpaid, left-wing, so-called comedians on the BBC who think their view is morally superior. Can you imagine the reaction if I had said the same thing as Jo Brand?’

The joke was referred to police, but officers took no further action.

Published: 29 Aug 2019