Here's an exchange you may have missed on Twitter between the BBC's World Affairs Editor and the Daily Mail's Peter Oborne:
John Simpson: Senior British diplomat: 'I feel deeply let down by Boris. The FCO used to be the best in the world. Now he’s made it absurd.’
Peter Oborne (to John Simpson): 1/ Not job of BBC World Affairs Editor to recycle anonymous smears against Foreign Secretary. What's happened to BBC impartiality? 2/ If Mr Simpson wants to go into politics he should quit his job with the BBC.
John Simpson (to Peter Oborne): Seems to me to be a matter of public interest. Disappointed you think that things you don't like shd be censored.
Peter Oborne (to John Simpson): News Many FCO officials admire Johnson. To refresh yr memory, here are the BBC impartiality guidelines: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/our_work/editorial_standards/impartiality.html
Wasn't it John Simpson who said recently that the BBC hadn't 'explained' the Remain case well enough during the run-up to the June Referendum?
ReplyDeleteJames Harding's fact checkers may stall a bit if John invokes the 'purposes of' exemption.
ReplyDeleteRadio 5 Live's Nihal having a shouting match with a listener who complains about him constantly signalling contempt for Trump.
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Nihal's defense is that he's "editorially checked". LOL! He's checked by people who share in the groupthink and see nothing wrong.
DeleteIs it stamped anywhere obvious on his exposed body?
DeleteThe historical connotations are awesome.
I used to have a great deal of time for John Simpson - remember the way he reported on the 1st Gulf war, out in the open with Scuds exploding all around him? He never batted an eyelid - this while CNN reporters cowered in their hotel room. Recently,though, he seems to be losing the plot; don't think he's been the same since that friendly fire incident.
ReplyDeleteI am unable to find any reference to the 'Hollande/WW2 punishment beating in the French press & my French sister - in - law who is bilingual & watches both UK & French TV tells me she has only heard it mentioned on...the BBC. Quelle surprise!
Yes,I too had a lot of respect for Simson, despite his Guardian instincts. He was a good news man and his predictions were often rather accurate. However, old though he is, this sort of bitter-tweet contribution is no seemly in a senior journo on the state funded BBC.
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