COLCHESTER politicians have waded into a row over a BBC drama about soldiers serving in Afghanistan.

Accused, shown on BBC One on Monday night, depicted a soldier killing a corporal who had bullied his best friend so badly he had committed suicide.

In a House of Commons motion, Colchester MP Bob Russell accused the BBC of a “deplorable lack of judgment” for broadcasting the programme while soldiers, including the town’s 16 Air Assault Brigade, were serving in Afghanistan.

Mr Russell called on the Government to “lodge a formal protest with the BBC for its denigration of the bravery and professionalism of members of HM Armed Forces, particularly at a time when thousands of them are deployed on active service in Afghanistan”.

Colchester Labour Party chairman Jordan Newell, writing on social networking site Twitter, echoed complaints by former head of the army General Lord Dannatt.

He said: “Accused is ‘deeply offensive’ and ‘distasteful’ to serving soldiers.”

Speaking before the broadcast, a BBC spokeswoman said: “In the promotion of this new drama series by award-winning writer Jimmy McGovern, it has been made clear that Accused is a work of fiction.

“It is in no way an attempt to denigrate the servicemen and women of the British Army.”

Mr McGovern, a Bafta-winning TV dramatist, stood by his script.

He said: “This episode is a work of fiction and, as a dramatist, I was interested in exploring how soldiers have to be in a certain mindset to kill.

“It is not my intention to slur British soldiers, for whom I have the greatest respect. At the heart of the drama is my belief in the sanctity of life.”

In the drama, a corporal played by the Office star Mackenzie Crook isolates one private after he fails to return fire during a battle in Afghanistan.

After the private kills himself, his best friend tries to lodge a formal complaint. When he is rebuffed, he kills the corporal and is jailed for 25 years.