BEXELY Council’s deputy leader will appear on a BBC programme to defend the authority’s ban on filming meetings.

Councillor Colin Campbell will be on BBC One’s Sunday Politics show after a government minister accused Bexley Council of wasting police time when officers were called to eject a member of the public who tried to audio record a meeting.

After a short piece looking at how the issue is dealt with by boroughs across the capital, Cllr Campbell will join presenter Tim Donovan and two west London MPs for a debate.

This follows News Shopper’s report on Nicholas Dowling’s ejection from a public realm, community safety, economic development and regeneration overview and scrutiny committee meeting on June 19.

The 42-year-old attempted to record the 7.30pm meeting in the council chamber, citing recent guidelines issued by local government secretary Eric Pickles that local authorities should allow the public to film meetings.

The main Sunday Politics programme presented by Andrew Neil starts at 11am on BBC One this Sunday (July 7).