Populism stalking Europe

Stephanie Flanders

Talking of Today....

I was driving to work this morning an heard a voice I recognised as being very familiar but couldn't immediately place. 

Thankfully someone very soon called her 'Stephanie' and it immediately clicked from her low, dusky voice that it must be Stephanie Flanders - the former BBC economics editor who left to work for Goldman Sachs and who campaigned vocally against Brexit during the EU referendum.

She was guest-presenting Today today (and yesterday). 

In reaction, the Daily Mail said 'So much for BBC impartiality!' and the Daily Express said there's been an "angry backlash" against the BBC for giving a 'Remainiac' like Stephanie Flanders such a role. 

Chatting about Mrs Merkel this morning to like-minded Neil MacGregor, former director of the British Museum, she talked about "populism stalking Europe" in the light of certain recent European elections and referendums, and got Neil to go along with her assertion that "And, of course, her belief in Europe...I mean, people who are wanting her somehow to put Britain...her, sort of, liking for Britain...ahead of the future of Europe are going to be disappointed".