Anti-war band dropped from awards

Seize the Day: Inspired by direct-action protest

A UK folk group with a strong anti-war message has been disqualified from the BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music.

Radio 3 said a campaign for votes for Seize the Day had spread across "political and non-musical" websites and email lists.

But the group strongly denied canvassing for votes on anti-war websites and email lists.

It was clear from the voting process that the votes for Seize the Day were motivated and organised for political reasons

Stephen Whittle
BBC head of editorial policy

The band believe they have been disqualified because they are too political.

Seize the Day had been up for the audience award, which is decided by a public vote, against groups from New Zealand, Slovenia and the UK.

They were taken off the shortlist because Radio 3 said it was not supposed to be a political award, and that voting tactics used were unfair on the other nominees.

The BBC has received hundreds of complaints from the band's fans complaining at the decision.

It was intended to be "a musical not a political vote", the BBC's head of editorial policy, Stephen Whittle, said.

"It was clear from the voting process that the votes for Seize the Day were motivated and organised for political reasons."

But the band's manager Louise Somerville-Williams said: "We feel extremely wounded that they are damaging the band's reputation for integrity and honesty."

It is only fair to the remaining groups that the issue is dealt with appropriately

Roger Wright
Controller, Radio 3

Radio 3 said an appeal to vote for the group appeared on an anti-war e-mail list and the campaign was considered to have made a "substantial difference" to the group's votes.

"It is only fair to the remaining groups that the issue is dealt with appropriately. The Radio 3 Awards for World Music are planned as a celebration of global music making," he said.

A BBC spokeswoman stressed that the band was not disqualified for its anti-war stance, but out of fairness to the other nominees.

The seven-piece group was formed when two members met during the Newbury by-pass campaign in 1996, and their songs are inspired by direct-action protest.

One of their songs appeared on a recent peace CD alongside artists like Ms Dynamite and Massive Attack.

Ms Somerville-Williams, said she did not think the BBC could afford to let such a radical anti-war group win.

"It's too political for them. You can't separate art and politics - all music's political," she said.

Seize the Day were not popular in the world music community because they were radical, she said.

Voting for the audience award closed on Thursday and the winner will be announced at the award ceremony on 24 March.