The BBC’s former policy editor Lewis Goodall has revealed he would be frequently lectured about impartiality – by a man who had been Theresa May’s head of comms when she was the prime minister.
Speaking on The News Agents, a podcast he now co-presents alongside Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel, Goodall said Robbie Gibb made his life “really, really hard” during his time at the national broadcaster.
The Beeb has come under scrutiny this week after Match of the Day host Gary Lineker compared policies in the Conservative’s Illegal Immigration Bill to 1930s Germany.
The football presenter was reportedly set to receive a talking to over the comments to be “reminded of his responsibilities on social media” by the corporation, but it’s uncertain whether the message has got through yet.
It has provoked a wave of accusations over supposed left-wing bias within the corporation, despite the current chairman being a known friend of Boris Johnson and donator to several right-wing groups.
Speaking on The News Agents, Goodall addressed the accusations head on, receiving widespread support for speaking up.
James O’Brien said: “This is so important. They don’t want impartiality, they want to eradicate dissent and replace it with client journalism. Some senior BBC staff are happy to go along with it. Others, thank goodness, are not. Can’t blame Lewis for leaving.”
Watch the clip in full below:
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