The Spectator has helpfully transcribed the relevant bit from this morning's Today where Tory MP Bernard Jenkin gave the BBC both barrels over its pro-EU bias and James Naughtie lost his cool and began sulking as a result.
Unfortunately, the transcription doesn't really do justice to the encounter. It really needs to be heard (on either of the above links).
But for those who refuse to listen, here's the Speccie's transcription, with a few additions and corrections [in bold] from me:
******
Jenkin: There is the other problem. Jim, you know the history of the BBC’s coverage of the European Union question. [A sigh from someone, probably Jim]. There was the report commissioned in 2005 [a sceptical noise from someone, probably Jim] under [the] chairmanship of Lord Wilson of Dinton, the former cabinet secretary, that found that and I quote “we have found there is widespread perception that the BBC suffers from certain forms of cultural and unintentional bias” [in coverage of the UK....]
Naughtie [interrupting, and speaking slowly without any sense of the Speccie's question mark here]: A widespread perception? [So what Jim actually said here was: "A...widespread....perception...(full stop)".]
Jenkin: The BBC governance [or transcribed more accurately: "But, I mean, the BBC governors..."] accepted that and we know that the Today programme basically got the presentation of the Euro....
[Naughtie (interrupting): Oh!...]
...wrong. We know that...
[Naughtie (interrupting): Look!...]
,..that’s now been accepted [and...]
Naughtie [interrupting]: Can we get back to the issue? [I mean...]
Jenkin: This is an important point Jim because every morning we have someone on the Today programme...
[Naughtie (interrupting, hotly): If you're saying you've...!]
...from business and they’re always asked the question “do you think we should stay in the EU?”...
[Naughtie (interrupting): Erm...]
...but you tend to choose people...
[Naughtie (interrupting): Look!...]
...from a certain sector of business who are...
[Naughtie (interrupting): Well, let's...]
... going to...
[Naughtie (interrupting, hotly): Sorry, you're sounding...that's the point, but just...]
...say what they think the establishment wants to hear.
Naughtie: Sorry, we want to get back to the point but can I just tell you that is simply not true
[More accurately, James Naughtie's 'Sorry...' appears over Mr Jenkin's "say what the establishment wants to hear" as another interruption. It doesn't politely follow on, as the Spectator's transcription suggests. And JN's "that is simply not true" is said very emphatically].
Jenkin: It’s an important issue and I hope you will address it in a future programme.
Naughtie: Finally, do you think that the fact the government was beaten last night on this indicates that particularly on European questions but on a whole host of things, the Prime Minister is skating on very thin ice?
Jenkin: Well, I think this question actually indicates part of the unintentional cultural bias of the BBC....
Naughtie [interrupting]: Oh for goodness sake[!]
Jenkin: No listen, let me just explain that. This is...
Naughtie [interrupting]: This really is tedious.
Jenkin: This was a cross party dispassionate discussion about how to create a fair referendum. If there is to be a new politics, it’s this kind of politics where a select committee on [a] cross-party basis makes recommendations and the opposition in a rather non-partisan way I have to say supports that case. That’s what happen last night and your question wants to see it through the lens of party politics, the party game at Westminster and who’s in and who’s out and whether the Prime Minister is weaker or stronger. [A quietly protesting noise, presumably from Jim, followed by a rustling of paper.] That’s not what this was about, it was about a fairer referendum…
Naughtie [interrupting, sourly]: …a game you have never participated in…
Jenkin: …we’ve got a step closer to a fairer referendum....
[Naughtie (interrupting): Bernard Jenkin...]
,..which is the kind of thing the British people want.
[Naughtie: Thank you.
Jenkin (rather jauntily): Thank you.]
