Labour MP Seeks To Limit Music DVDs

Andrew Dismore, the Labour Party M.P for the constituency of Hendon in London is seeking to bring music DVDs under the 1984 Video Recordings Act.

At present, DVDs featuring concerts, music videos of other music-related content are exempt from classification. Under Dismore's proposals, these could soon be restricted items, available to people aged over the years of 15, or 18 depending on content.

He told the Telegraph newspaper: "What's happening is that responsible video companies and distributors will get an age rating for 15 or 18 releases, but some others will not. Many of these would probably be 15.

"The problem is that many of these are marked on shelves as 'E' for exempt and parents may see the ones that are marked responsibly and then these ones and they may automatically assume that they are OK for kids – but they're not.

"We don't need to catch everything – if it is just an ordinary football game or pop star it won't apply but if it is a violent martial arts film or extreme music video, it will.''

Some examples cited by the Telegraph include DVDs by popular artists Motley Crue and Slipknot. Unbeknownst to the parents, Slipknot's DVD contains scenes of graphic violence whereas Motley Crue, for some reason, has footage of topless women on it. Who'd have thunk it! Next they'll be saying that Sex Pistols' DVD may contain themes of an anarchistic nature.

The altered law will also bring sports and religious DVDs under the scope of the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) who have a legal mandate to give age ratings to most video and film content released in the U.K.