Government blasted over 'zig zag' media policy

Shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt will attack the Government's approach to the media today as "nothing short of a complete and utter shambles".

Speaking at the Royal Television Society's Cambridge Convention, Mr Hunt will criticise the Labour Party for a "merry-go-round approach to policy making" that has achieved nothing.

Mr Hunt will say: "It is hard to find a sector that has suffered from so much dithering, so many u-turns and such a relentless conveyor belt of reviews and consultations that have ultimately led nowhere.

"This is no way to nurture any industry - let alone the communications sector that last year, according to Ofcom, generated revenues of £51 billion."

Culture secretary Ben Bradshaw has said he wants to change the Government's approach to product placement, allowing it on television for the first time.

Ministers hope lifting the ban will throw a lifeline to struggling independent broadcasters such as ITV by opening new multi-million pound revenue streams.

Mr Hunt will say this is the latest example of a "cowardly Government".

He will say: "The last culture secretary launched a consultation by ruling it out. Yesterday, less than a year after this consultation closed, Ben Bradshaw launched another one. By ruling it in.

"If ever you needed evidence of a cowardly Government who simply cannot make a decision then this is it. We've had a consultation. We've seen the evidence. If Ben Bradshaw wants to throw a bone to the commercial broadcasters he should stop hiding behind yet another review and go ahead and do so.

"This isn't leadership and it certainly isn't governing. It is management consultancy gone mad and dithering at its worst."

Mr Hunt will say the Government's position on "top slicing" the BBC's licence fee to pay for non-BBC regional news services is even "more breathtaking".

"We floated this idea two years ago and rejected it. But Tessa Jowell ruled it out. James Purnell was in favour of it. Andy Burnham was more cautious. Now Ben Bradshaw is pushing for it.

"Product placement may have been a U-turn. This is more like a zig zag. Given Parliament's likely view I'm sure there'll be another change, another climb down and yet more uncertainty before the general election.

"These two issues are the most obvious examples of Government inaction. But looking back over the two years I've been doing this job I cannot think of a single change, or single decision that this Government has taken. What have they done that has changed the broadcasting sector for the better? What in fact have they done at all?"