It has invariably been my experience that the attitude to politics and folk song has not been that you shouldn't sing political songs, but rather "You shouldn't sing political songs that I don't agree with"; usually flag waving, empire promoting crap meets with no objection whatever (Bold Nelson's Praise - my arse).
Of course the BBC has a political bias - it has always been a part of the establishment and an arm of government. The late Charles Parker and Philip Donellan bore the brunt of that bias. The ending of the Radio Ballads and the destruction of The Features Department made sure that 'ordinary' people no longer had a voice on what was, and continues to be a very exclusive 'Gentleman's private club'.
Jim Carroll