"I also think this row is being used as a smoke screen, almost like a legal tachnicality, to attack succesful young singers with attitude, Mike Harding,John Leonard and the Folk Awards."

Rubbish. What you'll find, over and over again, is people explaining patiently for those (like yourself) who clearly have not been paying attention, that this is NOT about Seth Lakeman's worth as an artist, nor about attacking the Folk Awards.

I meet exciting, successful young singers (and musicians, and dancers) with attitude all the time. Love 'em. The folk scene would die without them, and more power to their collective elbow. That includes Seth, especially for introducing more young people to folk. Some of the people commenting here have known Seth since he was a kid, know his parents, know he's a lovely lad, and have respect for his considerable talents (you can do that without the music necessarily being to your taste). This argument is about a specific issue over a specific award, and a song that is not eligible for its category. Simple as.

I had no particular problem with Smooth Ops before this all started, but have been consistently appalled over the arrogance with which the company, which is subcontracted by the BBC and so has SOME level of public accountability, has responded to a perfectly legitemate complaint.

And many of us have expressed, ad infinitum, that what we want is for the Folk Awards to BE successful, and to be the best representation of the genre that they can be. And for each award to simply do what it says on the tin. This is not about tearing them down, it's about trying to make them better.

Bloody hell, what's not to understand?

"People should vent their feelings about the rape of 'Traditional music and song' toward the DCMS because of their draconian licensing system with regard to live music."

Who says we're not doing that as well, John?