The woke totalitarians would not succeed if we all stood up for our friends when we know they have been wrongly accused. I am told by people inside ITN that there is serious unhappiness about the way in which Stewart has been pushed out.

Over the course of his career, he has worked with many people, of many different backgrounds.

Gradually, these people are coming out of the woodwork, both privately and publicly, saying what a gentleman he is, how kind he has been – and that, of course, he does not have a racist bone in his body.

So perhaps some proper pressure could be applied here. There is already a public petition under way to get Stewart reinstated. But how about a combination of public and private pressure? How about the people who gave Stewart the heave-ho start to fear for their jobs?

At present, bosses everywhere get a whiff of controversy and cut and run. There is no upside, they think, to standing by their man. Well there should be. Otherwise we will continue to live in a country based on the success of the most 'offended'.

Next time a similar case occurs, the bosses should weigh up the pros and cons and realise that disloyalty to people who have been loyal to you should incur a cost.

Let's see them explain why a long career can be destroyed in a second by bullies on social media.

That way, we might correct the balance in this country – a balance that is sorely needed and which will serve us well in the years ahead.

71,806 have signed.

I agree it’s wrong
.....but Alistair is 67 years old .
He has been earning huge BBC wages practically four decades so he doesn’t need the dosh so maybe he could retire or so something else meaningful .
A new chapter .

I agree it’s wrong
.....but Alistair is 67 years old .
He has been earning huge BBC wages practically four decades so he doesn’t need the dosh so maybe he could retire or so something else meaningful .
A new chapter .

that's not the point. He is being forced out by the comments of one complainant backed up by the usual loud-mouthed rent-a-mob, easily offended brigade on twitter.

It's one of the reasons why i closed my twitter account. Got so sick of the lefty 'right on' abuse targetting those who don't agree with their perspective. Even the 'news quiz' which i used to subscribe to became infested with the lefty brigade.