THE SDLP HAS said it is concerned by the “balance of editorial decisions” taken by the BBC after its south Belfast representative Matthew O’Toole was taken off-air during this morning’s Nolan Show. 

O’Toole and presenter Stephen Nolan were discussing comments made last night by chair of the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC), David Campbell. 

Speaking to BBC NI’s The View about the Windsor Framework deal, Campbell said there was a “credible threat” if “unionism and loyalism is continually undermined”.

The Loyalist Communities Council – an umbrella group representing the views of the UDA, UVF and Red Hand Commando – was formed in 2015. 

Speaking on the Nolan Show, O’Toole said:“Different political actors – including one particular political party, different media outlets and other organisations – have continued to normalise the Loyalist Communities Council and particularly the utterances of Mr Campbell, who appears on television or in front of selective committees, wearing expensive suits and sounding like a well-educated, middle-class politician.”

Nolan replied: “His suit is no more expensive than yours I’m sure, and I’ve heard Mr Campbell on numerous occasions say that he is fighting every day to try and convince these organisations violence is not the way to go.”

O’Toole added that “it feels, I think, to a lot of people” as if Campbell is putting on “a plastic, sinister ‘bad cop good cop’ act”.

The conversation began to get heated, with Nolan telling O’Toole that “you can’t talk over me, it’s not going to happen”. 

“There was nothing sinister from Mr Campbell last night. The message might be sinister, the message from the UVF and UDA pushing it through Mr Campbell might be sinister, but Mr Campbell had been asked by the BBC for an assessment on where the UVF and UDA are and he gave it,” Nolan said.

“I think, Matthew, I need to insist that you talk about the UVF and the UDA, and Mr Campbell is not part of those organisations.”

O’Toole responded: “A fairly pedantic distinction to make Stephen, but you’re entitled to make it.”

Nolan then said: “I’m sorry, no, I can’t tolerate that on-air and I’m not going to … There is not a pedantic distinction. Mr Campbell is a law-abiding citizen and the UVF and UDA are criminals.” 

The SDLP politician was then taken off-air. 

The party has released a statement this evening, which says the SDLP is “concerned about the balance of editorial decisions taken by the BBC to platform unelected spokespersons describing ‘credible threats’ from proscribed paramilitary groups while legitimate criticism from elected representatives is curtailed”. 

An odd day for an elected representative to be removed from a live BBC interview for challenging constant insinuations of paramilitary violence.

We will be seeking clarification from the leadership of BBC NI. pic.twitter.com/arHkyK7Hkb

— Matthew O'Toole (@MatthewOToole2) March 3, 2023

“Our party believes in fulsome debate but it is especially important that elected officials – including the leaders of the opposition at Stormont – are able to speak on behalf of those who elect them and to challenge the threat of violence,” the statement said. 

The SDLP said it will be “seeking urgent clarification” fcrom the leadership of BBC Northern Ireland “about these editorial decisions and to address this very serious matter”.