Councillors and MPs have called on the BBC to cease a controversial new People Like Us documentary (dubbed 'poverty porn' and 'pantomine poverty') following benefit claimants around Manchester's Harpurhey - one of the UK's most deprived areas.
"I don't trust these London TV companies one bit"
Local groups in Harpurhey have been approached by London-based Garden Productions TV about a new BBC documentary looking at how 'lively individuals and families spend their money'. They want to look at 'families who manage to work out how to live on benefits where they've got a great lifestyle and they're not having to count every penny'.
Harpurhey councillors and MP Graham Stringer have reacted furiously to these proposals and have written to the Director General of the BBC, Tony Hall, demanding that tax payers should not be funding this programme.
BBC's People Like Us
Graham Stringer said: "We have learnt our lesson about these programmes that come and misrepresent and mislead local people. We had to go up to BBC HQ to get People Like Us stopped. We will do the same with this one."
Local councillor Joanne Green said: "I don't trust these London TV companies one bit. They promise the earth at the beginning and then trash our areas. They are not wanted in Harpurhey."
bbc.co.uk/programmes/peoplelikeus
You can make a complaint to the BBC Trust here.
