Snow: Stop the poppy fascism

They have been sitting on the lapels of newsreaders and reporters for a good fortnight now, each careful to pin the red symbol on their suit before their on- camera performances.

But the veteran newsreader and keen wearer of the vivid patterned tie, Jon Snow, was unapologetic yesterday after viewers' complaints at his refusal to wear a Remembrance Day poppy, branding it "poppy fascism".

The 59-year-old wrote on the Channel 4 blogsite: "I am begged to wear an Aids ribbon, a breast cancer ribbon, a Marie Curie flower... You name it... they send me stuff to wear to raise awareness, and I don't.

"Additionally, there is a rather unpleasant breed of poppy fascism out there - 'he damned well must wear a poppy!'

"Fiona Bruce is to be allowed to continue to wear a crucifix, or a cross-shaped item of jewellery.

"I am allowed to wear unspeakably bright ties. But there's a world of difference there that we should be assertive about. My ties are abstract - I do not believe in wearing anything which represents any kind of statement."