East Lothian farmer 'furious' after appearing in SNP political broadcast

Regulator Ofcom upheld a 'fairness and privacy' complaint about the film (Photo: SNP)
Regulator Ofcom upheld a 'fairness and privacy' complaint about the film (Photo: SNP)

Broadcasting watchdogs have said an SNP political broadcast unfairly used footage of a farmer who did not know he was appearing in the film.

East Lothian farmer John Shedden knew he was being recorded but thought it was a Scottish government film, not a broadcast promoting the SNP.

Mr Shedden farms near East Garleton Farm near Haddington, East Lothian.

He complained that he was 'duped' into appearing in the broadcast aired by BBC Scotland in October last year.

Regulator Ofcom upheld a 'fairness and privacy' complaint about the film.

The farmer said he had been assured the video would be 'non-political' and was 'shocked' about it.

"I am furious. I am not a supporter of the SNP," he said.

'Unfairly represented'

In a written ruling, Ofcom said: "Mr Shedden said that he did not support the SNP, and that he would not have contributed to the programme had it been made clear to him from the outset that the footage would be used in the party’s political broadcast.

"Therefore, it was our view that the inclusion of this footage in the SNP’s political broadcast may have resulted in Mr Shedden and his political views being unfairly represented."

The BBC said that the content of such films was primarily the responsibility of the parties themselves, subject to compliance with the relevant editorial standards.

The SNP said the film had been made by a 'highly professional and reliable' company which it had used for more than a decade to produce party political and election broadcasts.

After complaining, Mr Shedden, who was paid £550 for allowing his land to be filmed, said: "My complaint was that this was to be non-political. We had a letter saying it was definitely non-party political and just a snapshot of life in Scotland."