UK political parties, the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties. "The multi-million pound new series of 'Doctor Who' is weeks away from the start of filming," says the press release issued today. "The MPs, from each of the three main parties, are concerned that significant resources for licence payers could be wasted if Mr Grade seeks to derail the project. The signatories include the Culture spokespeople from both the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties." The text of the letter is reproduced below. Thanks to the Honourable Tim Collins, MP, for contacting Outpost Gallifrey directly to share this with us. Update 26 March: the UK paper The Guardian is now carrying the story; and theWestmorland Gazette, the newspaper of the district that MP Tim Collins represents, today features anand Sport and to the media.

3/24/2004 12:16:00 am -
Reported by
Shaun Lyon

March 24, 2004 • Posted By Shaun Lyon

Outpost Gallifrey spoke to Mark Gatiss, script writer for the forthcoming first season of the new Doctor Who series, novelist and writer/actor of "The League of Gentlemen," about the recent casting of the next Doctor. "Chris Eccleston's casting is sensational," Gatiss told OG. "He's a fantastic actor and a lovely man and is just the right kind of 'serious' choice to forever banish those tiresome tabloid stories about various TV weathermen or magicians being chosen as the Doctor. And for those who think he's 'too serious' for the part, I'd point to the casting of William Hartnell all those years ago. He was known for a particular type of role and