FOUR MPs have signed an early-day motion calling on Channel 4 to reconsider a decision to make a comedy series about the Famine.
Proposed by Liberal Democrat John Leech and supported by Jeremy Corbyn of Labour, Plaid Cymru's Elfyn Llwyd and the independent MP Mike Hancock, the motion states that "a tragedy of this magnitude represents inappropriate subject matter for such a sitcom".
Early-day motions are tabled to raise awareness of an issue and with the aim of bringing about a debate on the subject in the House of Commons, although few ever reach that stage.
The MPs described the planned programme as "insensitive and potentially highly offensive". Their intervention follows extensive opposition from the public.
More than 40,000 people have signed an online petition urging Channel 4 to drop the idea. Last month the station said it had received 890 "predominantly negative" responses to the script.
Channel 4 has stressed that it has not made any decision about whether to screen the production, which is at development stage.
Called Hungry, the programme has been described by its Dublin-based screen-writer Hugh Travers as akin to "Shameless in famine Ireland".