When the BBC announced earlier this year that they were broadcasting a special season of programmes on the issues facing white working class Britain, I was immediately sceptical.
From the start, the statements made by the season's commissioning editor Richard Klein and BBC 2 controller Roly Keating about putting the 'spotlight on a community' who felt 'their voices were not being heard', made me cringe.

It looked like the BBC were stoking controversy in order to appear 'bold', 'brave' and most importantly unafraid to upset the PC brigade. In my view, they have got this all wrong on many fronts.

Firstly, why focus on race as the defining issue that governs every waking thought of white, working class Brits?
Immigration is a talking point and issue that concerns many people today, but so too are issues such as crime, education, globalisation, the break down of the family unit and so on.

If you believe the picture of Britain painted by the BBC, the so called 'ordinary British family' is more concerned about Mr and Mrs Khan moving in next door than they are about whether the government are spending enough on hospitals or why the local playground is making way for a new block of flats.
It's inaccurate, misleading and needlessly provocative stuff.

Secondly, are white indigenous Brits more disenfranchised than anyone else in Britain right now?
Television is largely made up of white, middle-class males and anyone who doesn't fit into that club could have a strong case for arguing that TV does not adequately cater to them or accurately reflect the issues they face.
I doubt very much whether there is a 'Muslim season' or a 'Women's Season' in the pipeline.
Thirdly, why, oh why, did the BBC allow Nick Griffin to air his racist propaganda, largely unchallenged, on Newsnight? It was a highly crass move, particularly as it was part of a segment which was designed to promote the season.

The season was promoted with an insensitive advert and launched at a time when the corporation has come under fire for its poor record in employing people from ethnic minority groups.

The BBC set out to provoke controversy in order to look like they are not afraid to examine issues that other broadcasters would shy away from. But by bundling them into this imbalanced and poorly planned 'White season' they have only demonstrated once again that far from being the most cutting edge force in television the BBC remains as woefully out of touch with reality as ever.