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Barry Sheerman challenged the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the Rt Honourable William Hague, on the Government's proposed cuts to the BBC World Service.

"The Foreign Secretary will know that there used to be a consensus throughout the House for supporting the BBC World Service-we saw off the Thatcher Government together when they attacked it. Should he not hang his head in shame today? These are cuts of a scale beyond anything that went on under previous Governments, to a service that is cherished by the British people, who will punish him. They are part of his overall plan to please Rupert Murdoch and denigrate the BBC."

Hague replied the cuts were necessary in the government's efforts to balance the budget.

Mr Sheerman believes the government's cuts would drastically damage the BBC's role as a high-quality, public news service. He has campaigned against BBC cuts in the past and will support measures to maintain the services it provides throughout the world.

Mr Sheerman will continue to fight for the BBC and challenge the government's plans for further cuts.