View source for Maggie's Militant Tendency

'''''Maggie's Militant Tendency''''' was an episode of the [[BBC]] current affairs programme ''[[Panorama]]'', which was broadcast on 30 January 1984. <ref>BFI Film & TV Database, [http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/330111 ''Maggie's Militant Tendency'']</ref> The programme, which was based on an official investigation by the Conservative Party, detailed infiltration of the Tory party by right-wing extremists and provoked a furious reaction from the Tory right-wing. 

The chairman of the [[BBC:Institute of Economic Affairs|Institute of Economic Affairs]], [[Ralph Harris]], raised around £100,000 for the right-wing Conservative MP [[Neil Hamilton]] to bring a libel action against the [[BBC]]. Lord Harris said: 'I remember at the time [[Neil Hamilton|Neil]] came to me and raised the question of financing the libel action. I managed to raise around £100,000, enabling Neil at the time to go after the BBC.' <ref>quoted in Kim Sengupta, '[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/the-hamilton-affair-the-cost--rightwing-donors-united-by-their-loathing-of-fayed-1134008.html The Hamilton Affair: The cost - Right-wing donors united by their loathing of Fayed]', ''Independent'', 22 December 1999</ref> A major donor to the fund was the right-wing financier [[James Goldsmith|Sir James Goldsmith]]. <ref>Patricia Wynn Davies, '[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/the-cashforquestions-affair-the-miners-grandson-who-found-a-niche-in-the-right-1444070.html?cmp=ilc-n The Cash-for-Questions Affair: The miners' grandson who found a niche in the right]', ''Independent'', 21 October 1994; p.3</ref> The case came to the High Court in October 1986 and the BBC subsequently settled. <ref>Tom O'Malley, ''Closedown?'' (Pluto Press, 1994), p.61</ref> According to the BBC Director-General [[Alasdair Milne]] the BBC settled because he was instructed to by the Governors, costing the BBC £50,000 in damages and £250,000 in costs. <ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/knives-are-out-for-the-bbc-bosses-522177.html Knives are out for the BBC bosses], ''Independent'', 9 January 2006</ref> This was followed by a Commons motion signed by 100 Tory MPs calling on the DG to resign. <ref>Tom O'Malley, ''Closedown?'' (Pluto Press, 1994), p.61</ref>

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