Of cabbages and things

One of my favourite Radio 4 programmes, More or Less, began its latest run this week.

As it's a statistics-based programmes, I wonder what the chances were (statistically-speaking) that its opening item would be something about the EU referendum? 

And, as an additional question, what do you reckon the chances were that its first Brexit-related item of the series would debunk a pro-Brexit statistical claim (made this week by a right-wing thinktanker on Twitter and a right-wing journalist)? 

Here's the offending tweet:

And here's how the More or Less website introduced the feature:

Now. I think it's beyond reasonable dispute that More or Less absolutely rubbished this claim about EU cabbage regulations. (They rubbished it, flushed it down the toilet and then dropped one of Kim Jong-Un's nuclear bombs on it). And the story they told of the evolution of the myth was absolutely fascinating (and well worth listening to).

But....

A quick search of the internet shows that this is a myth which Uncle Tom Cobley and all (including his sister Charlotte) have been debunking since the dawn of time, and before. 

In other words, it's a piece of 'low hanging fruit' that More or Less seized on here (albeit very tasty 'low hanging fruit'). 

Claims of EU bureaucratic absurdity have long been a staple of the EU debate here in the UK - from EU-prescribed straight bananas to straight cucumbers. Pro-Brexiteers cite them and anti-Brexiteers deride them....and thus has it been for forty years or so now. 

bananas

So, speaking oh-so-objectively, More or Less was obviously 'helping' the anti-Brexit side here, in that they debunked a claim made by (some) Leave supporters.

However, as you know, this was just one episode and the BBC tells us it is about due impartiality.

In other words, it's no use moaning about just one episode. You have to judge a BBC series over time to see BBC 'balance' in action.

Therefore, as it's easy and not very time consuming, let's do that very thing...

Let's listen to this whole series of More or Less and count the number of features debunking a pro-Remain claim and the number debunking a pro-Leave claim, and then see what happens. Will it demonstrate impartiality or bias?

I'm hoping the result will be a dead heat (or something close to it) - like 5 debunkings for each side perhaps?  How 'impartial' would that be!

Time will tell.

So let the tally begin...

Debunkings of pro-Leave claims: 1

Debunkings of pro-Remain claims: 0