Emily Maitlis

In her keynote lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival ex-BBC journalist Emily Maitlis warns of the perils of fake news and the consequences when the agenda is ...

Admitting she told her editor at the time, "we can't possibly put this out. Prior to working in No 10 for the Conservative Party between 2017 and 2019, Gibb also had a successful 25-year career at the BBC, culminating in his role as head of BBC Westminster. That will have to wait till next time." "When we hear Donald Trump or Zac Goldsmith or Nadine Dorries or Marjorie Taylor Greene talking about 'a witch-hunt', or Boris Johnson going the way of 'Deep State' chat, our senses should be primed. It is made up of executive and non-executive members from a range of backgrounds." We should ask why they're so afraid of scrutiny." "We - journalists, management teams, organisations - are primed to back down, even apologise, to prove how journalistically fair we are being. Critically, it's lose - lose for the audience. The role of the board is to ensure the BBC delivers its mission and public purpose. Referring to the speed of the BBC response to a Downing Street complaint over her comments on Cummings, Maitlis said: "Put this in the context of the BBC Board, where another active agent of the Conservative party - former Downing Street spin doctor, and former adviser to BBC rival GB News - now sits, acting as the arbiter of BBC impartiality." In response to Maitlis's speech, the BBC told Sky News: "The BBC Board has collective responsibility in protecting the BBC's independence and ensuring it delivers on its mission and public purposes. Journalist Emily Maitlis has hit out at the BBC - her former employer - claiming its board has been infiltrated by a Conservative Party agent and former Downing Street spin doctor whom she claims is now an "arbiter of BBC impartiality".

Emily Maitlis has reflected on the controversy surrounding her Newsnight monologue in 2020 that sparked 20000 complaints.

She continued: ‘So, back to the speed of response. Within hours, a very public apology was made, the programme was accused of a failure of impartiality, the recording disappeared from the iPlayer, and there were paparazzi outside my front door.’ What I’m saying is it’s normal for government spin doctors to vocalise their displeasure to journalists. ‘What was not foreseen was the speed with which the BBC sought to pacify the complainant. It wasn’t unusual in the Blair days – far from it – in the Brown days, in the Cameron days. Emily Maitlis has reflected on the controversy surrounding her Newsnight monologue two years ago, and revealed the most shocking aspect of it to her was how quickly the BBC moved to apologise to Downing Street.

British broadcaster Emily Maitlis has warned that populism has overcome the power of the mainstream media to hold politicians to account.

But by then we are so far along the path of passivity, we’re cooked.” It’s not Marxism or Reaganism; it has no adherence to a set belief or policy,” said Maitlis. It was part of her thoughtful speech entitled “Boiling Frog: Why We Have To Stop Normalising The Absurd.” When we understand that if we’ve covered rule-breaking by a Scottish chief medical officer or an English government scientist then journalistic rigor should be applied to those who make policy within Number 10 [Downing Street].” “But I am resisting because, quite frankly, what is the other side?” “When we are not scared to hold power to account, even when it feels uncomfortable to do so.

Maitlis singles out former Number 10 communications director in her first public speech since quitting corporation.

“I had felt [before joining] that the BBC was bloated, self-important, and had too much of its own voice,” he said. I’m pretty confident they will listen because they value the BBC.” Meanwhile, the BBC chairman has said the corporation must go on the offensive and start saying how great it is. Maitlis quoted Angela Rayner, the deputy Labour leader, who has said his appointment represented “Tory cronyism at the heart of the BBC”. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not standing here trying to pretend our intro was the Gettysburg Address,” she said. But by the time we went on air we simply had one of each – we presented this unequal effort to our audience as balance. a deep breath out”. It makes no sense for an organisation that is admirably, famously rigorous about procedure – unless it was perhaps sending a message of reassurance directly to the Government itself. Within hours, a very public apology was made, the programme was accused of a failure of impartiality, the recording disappeared from iPlayer and there were paparazzi outside my door. [joined the commercial broadcaster Global](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/02/22/emily-maitlis-jon-sopel-leave-bbc-launch-podcast/), said her speech was “not a post-BBC ex-employee rant” but “an exhalation… [joined the board](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/04/29/former-tory-no-10-director-communications-robbie-gibb-joins/) last year. [as an ex-BBC employee](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/02/22/emily-maitlis-jon-sopel-leave-bbc-launch-podcast/) and “the things that wisely could not be said then can be said more easily now”.

Ex-BBC journalist also argued the media failing to tackle the impact of leaving the EU “feels like a conspiracy against the British people”.

[BBC](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/BBC)’s board includes an “active agent of the Conservative party” as she [issued a warning](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/emily-maitlis-accuses-the-bbc-of-having-an-active-tory-party-agent-on-its-board_uk_63066d4de4b0f72c09dd534d) about her former employer’s impartiality. The former BBC journalist also argued the BBC and other media outlets are failing to tackle the impact of leaving the EU today, saying that “sidestepping” the issue “feels like a conspiracy against the British people”. In February, she and Jon Sopel announced they were leaving the BBC to join Global, where they are hosting a new podcast, titled The News Agents, and a radio show together on LBC. The broadcaster suggested the problems continue, and outlets including the BBC adopt an “automatic crouch position whenever the Brexit issue looms large”. [Emily Maitlis](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/Emily-Maitlis) has criticised the BBC for “both-sideism” in its coverage of Brexit – suggesting its attempts to hear both sides of the argument led to “superficial balance”. She added: “I’d later learn that the ungainly name for this myopic style of journalism: ‘both-sideism’, which talks to the way it reaches a superficial balance while obscuring a deeper truth.”

Ms Maitlis, who left the BBC this year for rival media group Global, is understood to have referred to Theresa May's former communications director Sir Robbie ...

But she added: “What was not foreseen was the speed with which the BBC sought to pacify the complainant. [Terms of use,](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/user-policies-a6184151.html) [Cookie policy](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/cookie-policy-a6184186.html) and [Privacy notice.](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/privacy-policy-a6184181.html) A phone call of complaint was made from Downing Street to the BBC News management. [Privacy policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en) and [Terms of service](https://policies.google.com/terms?hl=en) apply. What I'm saying is it's normal for government spin doctors to vocalise their displeasure to journalists.” This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google By clicking ‘Register’ you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Registration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalism On the programme featuring her monologue, a BBC spokesperson said: “The BBC places the highest value on due impartiality and accuracy and we apply these principles to our reporting on all issues. The Independent has asked the BBC to respond to the criticism over Sir Robbie. “Why had the BBC immediately and publicly sought to confirm the government spokesman’s opinion, without any kind of due process?” It wasn't unusual in the Blair days - far from it - in the Brown days, in the Cameron days.

The journalist, who left the broadcaster this year for rival media group Global, used the annual MacTaggart Lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival to highlight ...

Emily Maitlis has been praised for callingout an 'active agent of the Conservative party' on the BBC's board during her MacTaggart Lecture.

As we have made clear previously in relation to Newsnight we did not take action as a result of any pressure from Number 10 or Government and to suggest otherwise is wrong. It makes no sense for an organisation that is admirably, famously rigorous about procedure – unless it was perhaps sending a message of reassurance directly to the government itself?’ The BBC found the programme breached its editorial standards and that decision still stands.’ People have flocked to social media to share praise of Maitlis, with one writing: ‘THANK YOU, @maitlis for telling it like it is. [If your marriage is as boring as the BBC show, I feel sorry for you](https://metro.co.uk/2022/08/22/if-your-marriage-is-boring-i-feel-sorry-for-you-17224205/?ico=more_text_links) [Emily Maitlis recalls shock over BBC’s ‘speed’ in apologising to Downing Street over Newsnight monologue](https://metro.co.uk/2022/08/24/emily-maitlis-shocked-at-bbcs-speed-in-apologising-over-newsnight-monologue-17239650/?ico=more_text_links) It’s simply heartbreaking to see the corporation so neutered.’ [opening monologue during an episode of Newsnight ](https://metro.co.uk/2020/05/28/what-did-emily-maitlis-say-about-dominic-cummings-why-did-miss-newsnight-12768708/)in 2020, in which she said [Dominic Cummings](https://metro.co.uk/tag/dominic-cummings/?ico=auto_link_entertainment_P4_LNK1), then Prime Minister [Boris Johnson](https://metro.co.uk/tag/boris-johnson/?ico=auto_link_entertainment_P4_LNK2)’s chief adviser, had ‘broken the rules’ with a lockdown trip to Durham and ‘the country can see that, and it’s shocked the Government cannot’. [spoke out about the BBC’s impartiality](https://metro.co.uk/2022/08/24/emily-maitlis-shocked-at-bbcs-speed-in-apologising-over-newsnight-monologue-17239650/), revealing how shocked she was at how quickly the BBC moved to apologise to Downing Street after her controversial Newsnight monologue two years ago. [attracted over 20,000 complaints ](https://metro.co.uk/2020/06/11/newsnight-receives-almost-24000-complaints-emily-maitlis-comments-dominic-cummings-12840407/)and the BBC later decided that the presenter breached impartiality rules, saying in a statement: ‘We believe the introduction we broadcast did not meet our standards of due impartiality.’ [Emily Maitlis](https://metro.co.uk/tag/emily-maitlis/) has been showered with praise after [she called out an ‘active agent of the Conservative party’ on the BBC’s board](https://metro.co.uk/2022/08/24/emily-maitlis-shocked-at-bbcs-speed-in-apologising-over-newsnight-monologue-17239650/?ico=more_text_links), including by a Channel 4 boss who labelled her as ‘brilliant’. [announced her departure from the BBC earlier this year](https://metro.co.uk/2022/02/22/newsnights-emily-maitlis-leaving-bbc-after-20-years-16149552/), having joined in 2001 and hosted Newsnight since 2006, as she went on to join rival media group Global where she hosts a new podcast and a radio show with another former BBC journalist, Jon Sopel.

"Speaking the truth in a time of universal deceit is a revolutionary act."

He previously worked as [Theresa May’s](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/theresa-may) director of communications, and helped get GB News off the ground. Her name quickly started trending. [“both-sides-ism”,](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/emily-maitlis-brexit-media_uk_63068fa2e4b00c150d6774c1) by giving air time to viewpoints which did not deserve it, particularly in the run-up to the 2016 EU referendum. [Emily Maitlis](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/emily-maitlis) has lit up [BBC’s](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/bbc) impartiality, [Brexit](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/brexit) and the failures of the government last night. [“active agent of the Conservative party”,](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/emily-maitlis-accuses-the-bbc-of-having-an-active-tory-party-agent-on-its-board_uk_63066d4de4b0f72c09dd534d?ncid=flipboard-HP) skewing its content by presenting himself as the “arbiter of BBC impartiality”. [ Boris Johnson](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/boris-johnson).

The BBC's chief content officer has insisted that "in no way was there any influence from the Government or the board" on the BBC over its decision to ...

TV presenter took aim at corporation during the MacTaggart Lecture at Edinburgh festival.

And [Jon Sopel](http://twitter.com/jonsopel/status/1562511699470454784), the former BBC North America editor who is co-presenting a forthcoming podcast series with Maitlis, said she pulled “no punches” in her speech. [former HuffPost UK editor Jess Brammar](https://www.theweek.co.uk/news/media/953485/robbie-gibb-vs-jess-brammar-inside-the-bbc-hiring-row) to a senior editorial role at the BBC. [tweeted](https://twitter.com/angelarayner/status/1413788579772473350) that the “former No. Newsnight “was accused of a failure of impartiality” and “the recording disappeared from the iPlayer”, she continued. [Business Insider](https://www.businessinsider.com/bbc-director-sir-robbie-gibb-didnt-declare-links-tory-lobbyists-2021-8?r=US&IR=T) reported that Gibb was on the board of a top Conservative lobbying forum but did not declare it in his declaration of personal interests when he joined the BBC. The [FT](https://www.ft.com/content/82a54037-501d-457b-b8f4-35744c85ec9b) reported that a person close to Gibb denied that he sent a message using those words. Maitlis then pointed out that Robbie Gibb, who previously worked as Theresa May’s director of communications when she was prime minister, sits on the BBC board, where he acts “as the arbiter of BBC impartiality”, she said. 10 or government and to suggest otherwise is wrong”. “It might take our producers five minutes to find 60 economists who feared But Maitlis has also received praise for calling out “the BBC’s endless Tory propaganda”. 10, which Maitlis told the Edinburgh audience this week was not in itself unusual. However, she added, “what was not foreseen was the speed with which the BBC sought to pacify the complainant”,

All too often, news media are primed to back down, even apologise, to prove how fair they are. That can be exploited, says journalist Emily Maitlis.

According to the Financial Times, he’s attempted to block the appointments of journalists he considers damaging to government relations, provoking Labour’s deputy leader (among others) to call it “Tory cronyism at the heart of the BBC”. It wasn’t unusual in the Blair days – far from it – in the Brown days, in the Cameron days. Why had the BBC immediately and publicly sought to confirm the government spokesman’s opinion? In other words, the introduction was a precis of what viewers could expect of the whole show. It was a sobering but equally an exciting time to have an interview with one of the world’s bestloved actors. We had Conservative MPs explaining the PM’s loyalty, we had pollsters explaining the public horror on this issue, we had defenders, we had critics and we had a detailed analysis of which rules had been broken and when. The introduction set out, as is often the case, the rest of the show. It speaks again to how forcefully even imagined populist accusations of bias work on the journalist’s brain. I am terrified that by putting out the interview as it stands we will be seen as biased. It was the height of Covid: New York had been decimated by the disease, makeshift morgues and a ghostly city abandoned by anyone with the means to leave. But by the time we went on air, we simply had one of each; we presented this unequal effort to our audience as balance. The long-term effect of those trends I will leave to others.

Emily Maitlis said the BBC “sought to pacify” Downing Street by issuing a swift apology for her Newsnight monologue about Dominic Cummings.

After describing how she tried to balance the actor’s claims about Mr Trump, she said: “We finish the pre-recorded interview; Adam Cumiskey is the output editor and he’s a big film buff. But as we are heading up in the lift I turn to Adam and say, ‘We can’t possibly put this out. “So, back to the speed of response. Within hours, a very public apology was made, the programme was accused of a failure of impartiality, the recording disappeared from the iPlayer, and there were paparazzi outside my front door.” A phone call of complaint was made from Downing Street to the BBC News management. What I’m saying is it’s normal for government spin doctors to vocalise their displeasure to journalists.

FORMER BBC journalist Emily Maitlis has been speaking out about issues she has with her former employer's coverage for some time now since she…

Prior to working for No 10, he had a 25-year career at the BBC which culminated in his role as head of BBC Westminster. Within hours, a very public apology was made, the programme was accused of a failure of impartiality, the recording disappeared from iPlayer, and there were paparazzi outside my front door. It wasn't." [Conservative](https://www.thenational.scot/politics/tories/) party – former Downing Street spin doctor, and former adviser to BBC rival GB News – now sits, acting as the arbiter of BBC impartiality.” She spoke of how she felt the BBC often slipped into “both-sides-ism” in its approach to impartiality, resulting in individuals who don’t deserve airtime being handed a platform. “Put this in the context of the BBC Board, where another active agent of the [a BBC board member being an “active agent of the Conservative party”](https://www.thenational.scot/news/20744753.emily-maitlis-alleges-bbc-board-member-active-agent-conservative-party/) who was shaping the broadcaster’s output by “acting as the arbiter of BBC impartiality”. [Labour](https://www.thenational.scot/politics/labour/)'s deputy leader (among others) to call it 'Tory cronyism at the heart of the BBC'." She said: “What was not foreseen was the speed with which the BBC sought to pacify the complainant. [Brexit](https://www.thenational.scot/news/brexit/) to speaking about a BBC board member who is an "active agent" of the Tory party, Maitlis did not hold back and was brutally honest about her concerns while delivering the MacTaggart memorial lecture. [Robbie Gibb](https://www.thenational.scot/news/20756770.robbie-gibb-tory-agent-emily-maitlis-says-influences-bbc/), who was appointed to the board last year by Boris Johnson’s government. “Tory cronyism at the heart of the BBC”

Journalist, who left the broadcaster this year, claims the Beeb "sought to pacify" Downing Street over her Newsnight monologue.

“Why had the BBC immediately and publicly sought to confirm the government spokesman’s opinion? Within hours, a very public apology was made, the programme was accused of a failure of impartiality, the recording disappeared from the iPlayer, and there were paparazzi outside my front door. A phone call of complaint was made from Downing Street to the BBC News management. In a reference to Gibb, Maitlis added: “Put this in the context of the BBC Board, where another active agent of the Conservative party – former Downing Street spin doctor and former adviser to BBC rival GB News – now sits, acting as the arbiter of BBC impartiality.” What I’m saying is it’s normal for government spin doctors to vocalise their displeasure to journalists. [Emily Maitlis](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/Emily-Maitlis) has said the [BBC](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/BBC)’s board includes an “active agent of the Conservative party” as she issued a warning about her former employer’s impartiality.

Speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Charlotte Moore said the former BBC journalist's MacTaggart Lecture on Wednesday had been on an “incredibly important ...

that is absolutely not the case,” she added. She said the song content is a “massive beast”, but highlighted it has a “complex funding structure” which includes funding from EBU, participants and from the host city. Kate Phillips, director of BBC unscripted, also told the festival audience she is “so excited” for the BBC to broadcast Eurovision 2023, but recognised it is not a cheap event for the broadcaster to take on.

Speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Charlotte Moore said the former BBC journalist's MacTaggart Lecture on Wednesday had been on an “incredibly important ...

that is absolutely not the case,” she added. She said the song content is a “massive beast”, but highlighted it has a “complex funding structure” which includes funding from EBU, participants and from the host city. Kate Phillips, director of BBC unscripted, also told the festival audience she is “so excited” for the BBC to broadcast Eurovision 2023, but recognised it is not a cheap event for the broadcaster to take on.

Maitlis's claim that Sir Robbie, who once led BBC's Westminster coverage and was involved in founding the right-wing GB News channel, is now “the arbiter of BBC ...

Neil Henderson, a home and foreign news editor, said he would be sacked if he expressed the same critical views on government policy, as the Match of the Day presenter. It looks the best decision for everyone.” Maitlis and O’Brien are now Global colleagues. “The biggest influence government have over BBC is the threat of further cuts to or abolition of the licence fee.” “Emily has nailed her political colours to the mast now,” an insider said. [Emily Maitlis’](https://inews.co.uk/opinion/bbc-emily-maitlis-jon-sopel-leaving-journalists-no-longer-defined-1477618?ico=in-line_link)s explosive claim that the BBC was infiltrated by an “active agent of the Conservative party” who is shaping the broadcaster’s news output shows why [ she was right to quit the corporation](https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/emily-maitlis-leave-newsnight-bbc-new-podcast-jon-sopel-global-1475513?ico=in-line_link), insiders have said.

Finally, former BBC journalist Emily Maitlis has revealed what she really thinks about Brexit, Boris Johnson and the Tory government.

(Imagine that – a non-Remainer on a BBC board!) Most viewers would, of course, have been hard pressed to detect his influence on the BBC’s actual output. Meanwhile, [flagship shows like Question Time](https://www.spiked-online.com/2019/04/10/its-official-question-time-is-a-remainer-stronghold/) had a 2:1 ratio of pro-Remain to pro-Leave speakers. Emily Maitlis may have outed herself as one of the maddest, most brazen examples of this rot – but she is far from the only one who sees the world through this lens. [warned us to stockpile food and medicines](https://www.spiked-online.com/2019/08/08/the-brexit-bashing-corporation/) or told us to brace for wartime rationing and the culling of tens of thousands of animals – usually unchallenged by presenters or opposing guests. There has been a ‘conspiracy against the British people’ to hide the damage of Brexit, she alleges. According to Maitlis, it is these impartiality rules that led the BBC to be overly deferential to Dominic Cummings, former adviser to Boris Johnson and director of Vote Leave. Back in the real world, the BBC’s anti-Brexit bias was visible from space, both before and after the referendum. Worse still, in Maitlis’s view, the BBC has been far too lenient on Brexit, giving far too much airtime to undeserving pro-Leave voices. Indeed, judging from her lecture, the BBC’s alleged impartiality seems to be one of her chief bugbears. [compared Tory leadership contender Liz Truss to a fictional fascist dictator](https://twitter.com/maitlis/status/1561106561753391108). His mid-lockdown trip to Durham was the subject of relentless hysterical coverage back in 2020. This means, horror of horrors, that the BBC has to give a platform to Tory politicians or Brexit supporters, even when they conflict with the supposed truths put forward by the experts.

The journalist, who left the BBC earlier this year, said the media was often guilty of 'normalising' populist views in the name of balance.

“If Channel 4 is about anything it is about finding that new dish”. He added that the “whole industry” made it clear that the contribution that Channel 4 makes to the economy, levelling up and TV is “best protected in public hands”. He added that he thinks “the thing we have to obsess about as news organisations is trust” and claimed that Channel 4 is the most trusted news outlet in the UK.

Maitlis, who left the broadcaster this year for rival media group Global, used the speech to argue the media has failed to adapt to a change in politics and was ...

that is absolutely not the case,” she added. She said the song content is a “massive beast”, but highlighted it has a “complex funding structure” which includes funding from EBU, participants and from the host city. Kate Phillips, director of BBC unscripted, also told the festival audience she is “so excited” for the BBC to broadcast Eurovision 2023, but recognised it is not a cheap event for the broadcaster to take on.

Emily Maitlis, former presenter of BBC's Newsnight, has a long and impressive career in journalism. She has often skilfully managed to hold power to account ...

This condescending opinion is sadly shared by many on the left and it should be confronted whenever it rears its ugly head, especially in the case of Brexit. Maitlis is seemingly still aggrieved and reluctant to admit that her introductory monologue regarding Dominic Cummings in 2020 during the height of the pandemic wasn’t her finest hour. The BBC’s purpose isn’t to dictate and influence. It is to inform honestly and professionally. But Maitlis didn’t merely report on the facts of Cummings’s infamous trip to Barnard Castle – something the BBC should absolutely do – she decided to give opinionated commentary. Or worse still, the audience should have been made aware – like the children they are – that one side was indeed correct. I watch the BBC regularly and can quite confidently say that it does not have a right-wing bias. She cited the Financial Times’ reporting that Gibb attempted to block the appointment of journalists he considered to be damaging to government relations. On the contrary, board members have a duty to challenge senior executives. She named her lecture “Boiling Frog: Why We Have to Stop Normalising The Absurd”. If true, I wouldn’t call this an overreach on the part of Gibb. She has often skilfully managed to hold power to account in a robust and rigorous manner.

Thank god for Emily Maitlis. Finally someone has had the balls to call out the pro-Brexit, pro-Boris bias of the BBC. It's been staring us in the face for ...

(Gibb, a former BBC man turned adviser to the May government, was appointed to the BBC’s board by Johnson last year, and has been involved in impartiality reviews of BBC output.) I can’t have been the only one wondering if Maitlis has been watching the same BBC as the rest of us. And she once chided The Spectator’s own Rod Liddle for [‘the bile that you spew up’](https://twitter.com/BrexitBrit/status/1265736975669178370). Which in recent years has become a forum for ‘impartial’ broadcasters to bash the government. Maitlis singled out Robbie Gibb, without naming him, labelling him an ‘active agent of the Conservative party’ who is now ‘acting as the arbiter of BBC impartiality’. Finally someone has had the balls to call out the pro-Brexit, pro-Boris bias of the BBC.

In a raw and personal analysis, the former Newsnight presenter reveals a broadcaster that has been cowed by government, says Guardian columnist Gaby ...

The basic journalistic principle of divorcing your own feelings from the story sits increasingly uneasily with a younger generation of reporters, and perhaps also viewers, raised to “call out” what they believe to be wrong and to prize authenticity. [installation of Richard Sharp](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/jan/07/richard-sharp-bbc-chair-may-be-a-tory-donor-but-it-could-be-far-worse), a pro-Brexit Tory donor, as chair. There has long been a pretty greasy revolving door between Fleet Street and Downing Street, but viewers expect a publicly funded institution such as the BBC to rise above all that; to remain unimpeachable and unflappable, whether under fire from left or right. The Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker, meanwhile, seemingly continues to enjoy great licence to offer his views on Twitter. [her memoir Airhead](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/apr/18/airhead-emily-maitlis-review-bbc-newsnight-current-affairs-tv), in which she analyses old interviews and teases out the often uncomfortable ethical dilemmas raised by questioning a Donald Trump or a Steve Bannon, you occasionally catch a sense of frustration between the lines; something she seemingly wants to say but can’t. In its handling of that complaint, the [BBC](https://www.theguardian.com/media/bbc) effectively hung one of its most senior female journalists out to dry. There was, she claimed, no “due process” to consider whether a script that had been cleared by the programme’s editors was actually defensible. To have a pro-Brexit economist debate a pro-remain one on air was not “balance”, she said, if economists generally were so overwhelmingly against leaving that it took hours of ringing round to find one lone maverick in favour. Once those in power learn that your boss will surrender at the first hint of displeasure, they’ll keep pushing. It was almost as if someone wanted to send a “message of reassurance” to No 10. Her father would tune in religiously to the evening bulletins and nobody was allowed to interrupt the pips.

The ex-BBC star called board member Robbie Gibb a Tory 'agent'. Reality is more complex.

Yet there is a long history of party supporters being appointed to the chair or board of the BBC – a former Liberal MP was once chairman. If she persists in blaming Brexit for the recent queues of motorists at Dover, when it would appear a shortage of French customs officials was primarily the reason, we will know that she is happy in her bubble, and Tim Davie will sleep that much easier. The Royal Charter’s concept of ‘due’ impartiality applies only to matters of current political debate (in the case of elections, even tighter rules apply). Yet if the BBC had become part of Operation Fear, it would surely have lost the trust of Brexiteers entirely, and not have made it to its centenary year unscathed. Even straightforward factual reporting – for instance, on the various problems besetting the NHS – can, over time, come to seem hostile, in the eyes of the government of the day. [Dominic Cummings’ flight to Durham](https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/watch-how-dominic-cummings-contempt-made-us-feel/) during the COVID lockdown, and her clear belief that he had thereby broken lockdown rules.