• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

BBC ‘consciously’ played a part in Labour’s defeat, shadow minister claims

Andy McDonald said he's "very worried about our public service broadcaster.”

Jack Peat by Jack Peat
2019-12-16 09:10
in Politics
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

A senior Labour MP has accused the BBC of “consciously” playing a role in the party’s defeat at the General Election.

Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald made the claims during an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

It came as the party’s leadership battle descended into acrimony with Jeremy Corbyn facing renewed criticism and one of his key allies being accused of calling voters “stupid”.

“I’m very worried about our public service broadcaster”

Presenter Justin Webb asked Mr McDonald about Labour’s heavy losses and whether the party’s leader played a part in that.

Mr McDonald said: “Don’t get me started on the media, Justin. I’m very worried about our public service broadcaster.”

“Are you saying that the BBC was in part responsible for Mr Corbyn’s loss?” Webb asked.

Mr McDonald replied: “I am saying that they played a part. I’m really worried about the drift. You’ve seen the catalogue of criticisms that we’re making.

RelatedPosts

PMQs 18th May – Bird crap on the PM as rest of us are left in the sh*t

Watch: First pictures and video of Kenneth Brannagh’s portrayal of Boris Johnson

Michael Fabricant calls on fellow Tory MPs to turn up to PMQs- to prove they’re not the alleged rapist

Crowdfunder started to buy the World’s biggest egg for Grantham

“We’ve accepted that the print media are rained against us, but my goodness me. I’m going to look at us.

“We’re the important part here. We got this wrong, but if the BBC are going to hold themselves out as somehow having conducted themselves in an impartial manner, I think they’ve really got to have a look in the mirror. We’ve got a lot to say about this.”

The BBC “consciously” played a part

Asked if the BBC “consciously” played a part, Mr McDonald replied: “Consciously, yes.”

He added: “When you have a BBC presenter standing in front of a television camera saying ‘and Boris Johnson is on his way to a richly-deserved victory’.”

Webb said: “Oh, it’s a slip of the tongue. That’s absolute madness, isn’t it?”

Mr McDonald said: “How many slips of the tongue are we going to make until you accept it?

“I think it’s a distraction, quite frankly. Because I’m accepting that we got this wrong … you asked me about Jeremy Corbyn, I’ll say to you quite clearly: he is a principled, decent man and he’s vilified.

“I had in my constituency where posters were going up saying this man is effectively a paedophile, ‘you would not trust this man with your children’.

“How much more do we need to do to demonise a good individual?”

“How much more do we need to do to demonise a good individual? So, he’s no longer going to be leader.

“The Brexit issue is going to be progressed, we’re going to be out of the European Union on January 31 and we as the Labour Party have to galvanise around our core principles and make sure that we deliver for our people. It’s as simple as that.”

Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, who is believed to be eyeing a bid to succeed Mr Corbyn, was forced to deny the “total and utter lie” on Sunday and was understood to be consulting lawyers.

Caroline Flint, who lost her seat in the former stronghold of Don Valley during the catastrophic election for Labour, claimed Ms Thornberry had told a colleague: “I’m glad my constituents aren’t as stupid as yours.”

“I own this disaster”

The row came as shadow chancellor John McDonnell tried to take the flak for the defeat, saying “I own this disaster”, and as Mr Corbyn also apologised for Labour’s worst result since 1935.

The race to succeed the leader is in full swing, with potential candidates testing the waters while senior figures in the current leadership gave their backing to shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey.

Labour’s general secretary, Jennie Formby, reportedly wrote to the party’s ruling National Executive Committee recommending the contest starts on January 7, with the view of having a new leader by the end of March.

Mr Corbyn had written in an open letter that “I take my responsibility” for the loss and apologised, but had come under fire for an unrepentant tone on the night of the defeat.

“I will make no bones about it. The result was a body blow for everyone who so desperately needs real change in our country,” he wrote in the Sunday Mirror.

Mr Corbyn said he will stand down in the early part of next year after overseeing a “process of reflection” within the party.

Related: Media smear cost Labour the election, McDonnell is right to point that out

Please login to join discussion

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

Busted on CCTV: carer stole cash from dementia patient and hid it in her bra

London Film Festival 2018: Wrap Up

How To Make: Chocolate Biscuit Salami

Mystic African Fertility Statues Arrive in London

12 Fantastic quotes by Greta Thunberg

Ice cream maker boasts Strongbow cider and Blue WKD flavours

Jeremy Corbyn’s wife says outgoing Labour leader was ‘vilified’

The Weekly Cocktail Recipe – ‘Kitchen Garden Gin’

Crossrail workers down tools after five colleagues die in their sleep in six months

Cladding crisis and borders in Labour crosshairs ahead of Commons votes

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.