A Message to the British Advertising Standards from the Muqata

Got this from Jameel at the Muqata – as happens almost all the time (okay, I can’t think when not), Jameel speaks for so many of us:

Attention: British Advertising Standards Authority

Sir,

I would like to lodge an official complaint regarding misleading travel advertising in the United Kingdom.

On the official website for Britain’s national tourism agency, “Visit Britain” (http://www.visitbritain.org), there is a listing under the title of “Visit Britain” for the “Northern Ireland Travel Guide.”

http://www.visitbritain.us/destinations/Northern-Ireland/

I find it somewhat misleading to imply that Northern Ireland is part of Britain, when the status of the occupied territory of Northern Ireland is the subject of much international dispute.

Might I suggest that the travel website “Visit Britain” should be renamed, “Visit British Isles”? Or perhaps it should be made explicitly clear that while England claims that Northern Ireland is part of “Britain”, the self-determination of Northern Ireland disputes that claim.

I find the “Visit Britain” website mildly offensive, especially in light of your complaint lodged against Israel’s inclusion of their capital city, Jerusalem, in a travel advert.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israel-tourism-advert-featured-picture-of-occupied-territories-1944066.html

I therefore request that you kindly find the VisitBritain website in breach of truthfulness guidelines, consistent with that earlier ruling.

Sincerely,

Jameel Rashid

CC: British Foreign Office,
MK Danny Ayalon, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs,
The Independent,
Yediot Achronot,
Jerusalem Post


Visit Jameel at his informative, amazing, and always challenging blog: http://muqata.blogspot.com

1 Comment

  1. I suspect your letter will have little impact.

    Might I suggest that the travel website “Visit Britain” should be renamed, “Visit British Isles”?”

    That’s unlikely to happen; residents of the Republic of Ireland tend not to like being considered ‘British’, even in the context of a collective description of all the islands of the UK and Ireland. Besides, the site doesn’t mention tourist destinations within the Irish Republic.

    Or perhaps it should be made explicitly clear that while England claims that Northern Ireland is part of “Britain”, the self-determination of Northern Ireland disputes that claim.

    Northern Ireland is an integral and constituent member of the United Kingdom because a majority of people living within the Province wish it, and have expressed this wish via the democratic process. Further, both the governments of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland have agreed that the consitutional status of Northern Ireland can only be decided by the people living within Northern Ireland. That a majority currently wish for continued union is this ‘self-determination’ that you speak of in action.

    The only legitimate point you have is that ‘Britain’, in geographical terms, applies only to the island of Great Britain. If the site is to include Northern Ireland then it would be more accurate to call it ‘Visit United Kingdom’.

    Let us know if you get an answer.

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