East Midlands: Computer games

Allister Craddock
The Politics Show East Midlands

A school called Bullworth Academy features in the video game

The East Midlands Politics Show looks at how the video and computer game industry is regulated in the light of Keith Vaz MP's current Early Day Motion asking for the game 'Bully' to be banned.

"Bully" is made by Rockstar games, whose Edinburgh developers invented Grand Theft Auto, the biggest selling computer game going, and Manhunt, the video game a Leicester murder victim's family blame for his death.

It is set in a reform school and puts the player in the shoes of a newly arrived 15-year-old who must rise to the top of the hierarchy by any means necessary.

"Bully" has not been released yet, but Mr Vaz claims it highlights the rise of violent games from an industry that needs more than voluntary regulation.

Roger Bennett, Director General of the Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association, says the current system is robust and working well - otherwise games retailers would be facing prosecution from Trading Standards Officers.

He also believes that extensive research shows no causal effect between gaming and behaviour.

Vaz and Bennett go head to head, with Marie Ashby on the lookout for bullying.

Veritas

In another report, Political Editor John Hess asks; Where did it all go wrong for Robert Kilroy-Silk?

From the highs of being elected as the East Midlands most high profile MEP under the UKIP banner, from the drama of the subsequent leadership battle and his launch of the Veritas party to, well, what?

Marie Ashby will be asking Conservative MEP Chris Heaton Harris why he is offering a bottle of champagne to the first person to spot Kilroy-Silk in their mutual East Midlands constituency.

Heaton Harris believes the East Midlands MEP caucus is operating "a man down".

Patrick Eston, the current leader of Veritas also joins Marie in the studio, where he will explain why Kilroy-Silk is still a member of the Veritas party but now sits as an independent MEP.

So tune in at Noon on BBC One.

That is the Politics Show Sunday 15 January 2006.

Join presenter Marie Ashby for the Politics Show on BBC One on Sundays.

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