The BBC was at the centre of a political bias row last night over claims a senior executive told reporters to ‘go easy’ on the Labour Government now it is lagging behind the Tories in the polls.
According to a well-placed source, the man in charge of BBC Radio 4’s flagship Today In Parliament told his staff that it was right to be ‘aggressive’ when things were going well for the Government but not when it was in trouble.
Some of those present were outraged by the comments attributed to Peter Knowles, editor of the BBC’s parliamentary programmes, at an ‘away day’ gathering in London.
‘He appeared to be saying the BBC should lay off Gordon Brown because Labour was in trouble,’ said a source.‘It was appalling. The BBC should be rigorous and fair at all times. To suggest anything else – especially when a General Election is not far off – is extraordinary.
It did not hold back when John Major’s Government was in trouble.’BBC management strongly denied Mr Knowles had made the comments and said it was ‘absurd’ to claim orders had gone out to ‘go easy’ on Labour.
A spokesman confirmed Mr Knowles, 46, discussed political impartiality at the away day for staff on Radio 4’s Today In Parliament and Yesterday In Parliament.
But he insisted the purpose was to stress the importance of avoiding political bias. ‘We do not discuss private team meetings,’ said the spokesman. ‘But any talks about the impartiality of BBC News are aimed at ensuring complete impartiality for all political parties, not the reverse.’
The BBC’s parliamentary broadcasts are closely monitored by MPs for any sign of bias. Mr Knowles – who also runs the BBC Parliament digital TV channel – has to deal with regular complaints from MPs angry that their speech has not been reported.
A senior BBC journalist said: ‘It is possible that Peter was trying to say that just because other parts of the media are going after Labour, the BBC should not follow suit for the sake of it. Peter is very experienced, maybe he did not express himself very well and some people got the wrong end of the stick.’
Mr Knowles was a producer on the BBC1 Nine O’Clock News during the first Gulf War in 1991 and was in charge of BBC Television News on the night of the death of Princess Diana.
He was strongly defended by fellow managers. ‘It is absurd to suggest anyone would stand up and say, “Look, we should abandon impartiality and go easy on the Government,” ’ said one.The BBC a state funded parasite that needs to be privatised now, better still axe the BBC licence tax that we all have to to pay for and make them work in the real world subject to market forces.
‘Peter did not say that. It is not a version of events that he recognises.’
Who knows maybe next the BBC will claim that it is unbiased towards Israel and release the Balan report that it went to court to keep covered up over claims of its bias against the Jewish state; closely followed by it announcing that it hates all other parties except for Labour and if people want impartial politics they can fuck off elsewhere.
Still look on the bright side maybe Peter Knowles is now on the non-existant list of "helpers" who are in line for a peerage or perk in the New Year's honours list?...
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2 people have spoken:
On the subject of the Browns Biased Communists - I dunno what to make of this Noel Edmunds story.
Edmunds - a man who made his fortune from the public purse of the BBC, now refuses to pay their licence fee because he feels they are now authoritarian in their demands. He doesn't seem to be overtly keen on New Labours immigration policy either from what I can gather.
Still - Edmunds can migrate to warmer climes at the drop of a hat leaving the rest of us plebs, up shit creek without so much as a worthwhile paddle, whilest the one-eyed Stalin instucts Al-Beeb in what it must say about both him and his God awful party.
Mind you it would be a rather entertaining court case: Jail or no jail?
So is it a payment from Noel in the box?....
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