WORLD/ OUTRAGE OVER BBC GAY EXECUTION POLL

The BBC is under fire from around teh world, after opening a debate on whether gays should be executed. The broadcaster started a discussion on its BBC News website asking: 'Should homosexuals face execution?' The question was posed after a proposed law to execute homosexuals was put forward in Uganda. More than 650 comments were sent to the discussion board, 206 of which were published before it was closed, making it the most popular forum on the website. Following the outrage, the BBC renamed the question from "Should homosexuals face execution?" to "Should Uganda debate gay execution?" British MPs expressed their shock at the decision to ask such an offensive question. Labour's Eric Joyce, who told MPs about the online forum, said he was "completely mystified" as to why it had been set up. "We should be looking at what is going on in Uganda with abhorrence," he said. "The BBC are probably thinking they are communicating with people in Africa. As it happens, everyone who has replied comes from somewhere else". Another UK politician said:  "Suggesting the state-sponsored murder of gay people is OK as a legitimate topic for debate is deeply offensive. The BBC are only fanning the flames of hatred. They must act and apologise for their gross insensitivity." The debate was published by the World Service Africa Have Your Say forum, which is part of the BBC's main news website.