Derek Conway and Press TV

I don't usually reprint private emails, but this one from Derek Conway MP is so revolting that I will make an exception:

Dear Mr.
Pollard

I sent an email on 31st October to the general editorial
inbox but as it has not generated a response your Arts Editor suggested I email you
directly.

I host pressTV's book show Epilogue, which is a twenty-five minute
review of a current work of non-fiction with an international affairts interest.
On Monday 9thNovember at
12:30pm we shall record our next edition.

The book chosen is Alan Hart's
"Zionism: the Real Enemy of the Jews" which, frankly, I find
unnecessarily lengthy but he makes points worthy of challenge and informed
debate.

PressTV , you are probably aware, is Iranian owned but I must
say that not one of the programmes I have hosted (some of them rather critical
of Iran's leadership) has been edited so
I am confident of chairing a fair debate. Many guests of the Jewish faith have
appeared on station programmes.

I'm working on a synopsis of the book
for guests who do not have time to read it cover to cover and I also send out a
copy of my draft introductory comments given to camera at the opening of the
show. This helps our guests with the flow of the programme and demonstrates
that we want a fair and informed debate, no
traps!

A car will collect and return to whatever address suits
and there is an appearance fee. We record in West Gate House at Hanger Lane,
Ealing.

Could you, or one of the newspapers columnists join me
on Monday ?

Regards

Derek

Derek
Conway
Presenter
Epilogue -
pressTV

Where to start? I automatically reject invitations to appear on the propaganda arm of the world's leading funder of terror. But to appear on a programme designed to give credence to the latest outpouring of bile from Alan Hart, one of the most ludicrous figures on the anti-Israel fringe?

Here's what I told him:

I refuse to have anything to do with a
channel paid for by the world’s leading supporter of
terrorism.

That an MP should choose to take their
money fills me with disgust.

To which he replied:

Thank you for your prompt reply.

MPs and Peers of all the major political parties have appeared on the
station's programmes and had you chosen to accept my invitation you could have
always donated the apperarance fee to a Gaza charity assisting the civilians
illegally bombed by Israel, as identified in the latest UN report.

A "fair and informed debate", indeed.